Life As A Hudson
by FinchelFanGleek
Summary: Finn and Rachel Hudson are all grown up now, living in New York with a family of their own. Following her dreams, she became a Broadway star, while he built a career out of football. But is everything really as easy as it seems?
1. MEET THE HUDSON'S

"Rachel?" Finn called up the stairs to his wife. "Have you seen my gym bag?" He asked, rummaging through the downstairs closet for his gear. "I can't seem to find it anywhere."

"You checked the coat closet?" She questioned, waddling down the stairs with Payton in her arms.

"It's not in here." He told her, walking back into the living room.

"And it's not in our bedroom?" Rachel lifted her daughter up onto a couch cushion and slipped her feet into her little sparkly pink sneakers.

"I'll go check." He quickly ran up the stairs, two at a time, in a rush.

"Well, you're all set, Pay." Tightening her daughter's shoelace, she leaned forward and kissed her one and a half year olds cheek. "Jilly bean, are you ready yet?"

"Yeah, mommy! I'm coming!" Jillian then came hopping down the steps, her Cinderella backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Where are your shoes, Jill?"

"Oh, I can't find them." She answered.

"Well, you can't leave without them. Go double check by the back door." She ordered. "And hurry up, please."

"I found it!" Finn came running back down with his duffle in hand. "Now, I really gotta go." After giving his wife a quick kiss on the lips, he took Payton in his arms, tossing her into the air and blowing raspberries on her tummy. Which made her giggle hysterically.

"You have everything you need?"

"Yes, mom." Finn said, rolling his eyes at Rachel as he grabbed his keys. "Ok, see ya later, guys." He chuckled, opening the front door and leaving to go to practice.

"Bye, daddy!" Jill yelled, coming in from the kitchen and sprinting over to her mother. "I found them, mommy."

"Well, put them on, sweetie. Come on." Rachel made her way over to the dining room table and picked up her purse, sighing. She was really dreading the day ahead. Some food shopping just had to get done, and she was not happy to be taking the girls with her. Seeing as, they acted like little terrors in a grocery store. But Finn had plans and there was no other choice. And after that, she had to drop Jillian off at her friend Ashley's birthday party, which gave her plenty of time to take Payton to the doctor's office. Then the girls would be left in her husband's hands for the rest of the night, because she had a show to be at by 7. Even though she could no longer perform, she still liked to go see it and support her cast mates.

Finishing up in the house and going out to the car, she got the girls into their seats before climbing in herself. She decided on going to the nearest market, which was only 2 blocks away and pulled into an open parking spot all the way in the back, only 10 minutes later. Going up to the front of the store for a cart, she put Payton in it and pushed it into the store as Jill trailed behind.

"Alright. So, we need milk, eggs, butter…" Rachel read off her list, making sure she didn't forget anything. "Cereal, juice, fruits, vegetables…"

"Mommy, can we get ice cream?" The 4 year old asked, as they passed the frozen food section. "Cookie Dough sounds yummy."

"No. Not today, honey." She answered, as she stopped and tossed a box of waffles into the cart.

"But I want it!" Jillian pouted, stomping her foot.

"Do not start, Jilly bean."

"Why can't we get some?" She argued.

"Because, I said so."

"Daddy would get me ice cream!"

"That is because your daddy is a huge softie. And gives in to you girls more than he should." She stated, turning into the next aisle, which was full of cereal. "Now, pick out the kind of cereal you want, please." She said. But then couldn't help but think that letting her children choose was the wrong thing to do. And it was. Because Payton wanted the Fruit Loops _and _Captain Crunch, which was something Rachel wouldn't allow, due to the fact that cereal goes to waste a lot in their house, and she didn't want to buy a ton of it. So, she said no, resulting in a little temper tantrum being thrown.

"Are we done yet?" Jill asked, as she ran up and down one of the aisles with the cart.

"No, not quite. We still need to get a few more items." Rachel swayed back and forth with Payton in her arms, as she looked over the different brands of bread. "And watch what you're doing, Jillian. Be careful…" Before she could even finish speaking, she was hit with something squishy. Fixing her gaze on the tower of paper towels that were now scattered all over the floor; she took a deep breath and tried to keep her cool. "Jill, what did I say? You have to behave."

"Sorry, mommy. I didn't mean to!" She pleaded, starting to cry.

"I-I know, sweetheart. You just… You can't do these sorts of things in here." Bending over and picking everything up, she set Payton down in her seat. Taking hold of Jillian's hand, she went back for the bread real quick before going into a checkout line and unloading the very full cart. Paying for the order and getting into the car, she dropped Jill off at her party, sped to the doctor's, and then drove home.

"Hey, babe!" Finn stepped out of the house when he saw his wife pull up into the driveway, running over to help her with the bags. He waited for her to pop the trunk before he opened it up and took a few in his hands.

"Hi, honey." Rachel slid out of the driver's side, shutting the door and walking over to her husband. Greeting him with a kiss. "How was football?"

"Great, but now I'm tired." He replied. "And hungry."

"Alright, well, I brought dinner home. You just have to make it tonight, because I have to get to the theater."

"Ok." He nodded. "So, what'd you get me good?"

"You'll see." She winked, opening up the back door and easily sliding her arms under her daughter's body, careful not to wake her. "Oh and, by the way, you have to pick Jillian up from the party at 7:30."

"If I remember…"

"You better." Locking the Escalade, she led him into the house and through the living room, setting everything down on the kitchen counter. "Listen, I am going to go put Payton down for her nap, and I have to change, quickly. Then I am leaving. You don't mind putting the food away?"

"No, course not. Go. Go get ready." Finn said, starting on the groceries, only to find a big, juicy steak waiting to be cooked. "Oh, thank you, Rach!" He whispered, practically drooling over the package. And after grilling it, he got to sit down and enjoy it. "Now, that was some good eatin." Finishing up his plate, he placed it into the dishwasher, before going into the next room to watch some TV. But just as he was about to relax, his one year olds cries came through the monitor.

"Payton." He cooed, entering the little pink room and lifting her from her crib. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Clinging on to her blanket, Payton wrapped an arm around her dad's neck, resting her head on his shoulder.

"How was your nap? You slept quite awhile there; I bet you're probably hungry, yeah?" He questioned. "Shall we go get you a little snack?"

She nodded, tiredly, yawning.

"Alright. Come on, sleepyhead." Kissing her forehead, he carried her back downstairs with him and to the refrigerator. Then, finding something that looked good, they found a spot at the table, munching on fruit until it was time to pick up Jill.

"Daddy, it was so much fun!" Jill yelled, excitedly, picking at the candy from her goodie bag. "Ashley's mommy got her a bouncy house! And it looked like a princess castle! And we jumped like crazy."

"Sounds like you had an awesome time, Jilly bean." Finn shut the front door behind them, setting the keys down on the dining room table.

"Yeah. Except for the part where I scraped my knee." She explained. "But, I'm ok!"

"Well, that's very good to hear, honey. Now, listen." He said. "I have to go and give your sister a bath. Do you think you can keep yourself busy while I do that?"

She nodded. "I'm gonna watch TV."

"Alright. But do not do anything you're not supposed to." He warned, carrying Payton up the stairs and into the bathroom. Standing her on her feet, he leaned over the side of the tub and turned on the water, testing the temperature before actually putting her in. And as soon as he did, she threw a fit. She _hated _taking baths. Hated it. And he always had the hardest time, that's why he made his wife do it every night. "You're almost done, Pay. Don't worry." He cooed, shampooing her hair as she continued to splash and throw water his way.

Just then, a loud crash coming from downstairs could be heard, which was followed by a piercing scream.

Finn's head shot up and his heart began to race as he quickly wrapped his 1 year old up in her Froggy towel, rushing back down. He couldn't even imagine what had happened.

"Daddy." Jillian sobbed, from her spot on the floor, as she held a hand to her forehead.

"Jillian?" Running to her aid, he knelt down in front of her.

"It hurts."

"What does, sweetheart?"

She removed her hand, revealing a nice size goose egg.

"Oh, baby, what did you do?" He asked, examining the mark.

"I wanted to change the show, but the clicker is up there." She pointed to the very top shelf on their entertainment stand. "So, I tried getting it and I fell."

"Oh, no, Jilly." Pulling her into his embrace, he rubbed her back gently, trying to calm her down. "You're ok. Nothing a little ice won't fix."

Payton joined in on their hug, kissing her sisters boo-boo.

"Thanks, Payton." Jill sniffled.

When Rachel arrived home later that night, she found her husband completely unconscious on the couch. She couldn't help but feel the same exact way. Looks like they both had a pretty exhausting day. "Finn." She shook him. "Finn, honey, wake up."

"Hmmm?" His eyes fluttered open, and a small smile spread across his face when he saw hers. "Oh, hey, you."

"Hey. Come to bed." She directed, receiving a slight nod as she took his hand and helped him up. "The girls are asleep?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, did everything go ok here?"

"Yup. Everything went ok." He answered, pulling her up the stairs. "Well, besides Payton's bath, which resulted in me being soaked, and Jillian's nasty fall."

"Her fall? Is she alright?"

He nodded. "She fell and hit her head today, but she only has a small bump. Nothing too serious."

"Oh, ok. And she had fun at her party?"

"Oh, yeah! She went on and on about how great it was on the car ride home."

"Good, good."

"And, what about the show? How did it go?"

"It was good too. The cast and crew were amazing. They did so well." Rachel got comfortable on their bed after changing, and curled up next to him. "I'm kind of wishing that I was still a part of it though."

"You will be back up on that stage soon enough, babe."

"I know. I just miss it is all." She admitted. "But taking this time off will all be worth it once we get to meet our little guy."

"Yeah." He nodded in agreement, putting a hand on her bump.

Giving him a quick goodnight kiss, she reached over and shut off the light. Falling into a deep slumber. But it wasn't long before…

"Mommy? Daddy?" Jillian wondered down the hall and into her parents room, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she held her teddy bear, Finchel, (she had heard her mom and dad use the word numerous times and fell in love with the name) close to her tiny frame. It was just past midnight and she couldn't sleep due to the massive storm that was currently passing through New York. Pushing open the big wooden door, she stepped into the pitch black room. "Mommy? Daddy?" She whispered again.

There was no answer. The thunder only cracked as the lightning flashed brightly, lighting up the whole house.

Fear took over her body as she began to cry. "M-mommy? D-daddy?"

The thunder bashed against the side of the house.

Jill squeezed her bear tighter and ran for the corner of the room, where she curled up in a ball and shut her eyes. The thunder boomed once more and her eyes grew wide and filled with more water. When the lightning struck again, she could see the outline of a tall figure coming toward her. Quickly burying her face in finchel, she really wished that she could escape.

"I thought I heard someone in here." Finn bent over and picked his daughter up, kissing her forehead. "It's just me Jilly."

Rachel sat up in bed, turning on the lamp. "Jilly, what's wrong, sweetie?"

She laid her head down on her dad's shoulder and hugged him tighter. "I can't sleep because of the loud noise outside."

"It's just the thunder, honey." He yawned. "It will stop soon."

"But, I'm scared."

"Do you want Daddy to go and put a nightlight on in your room?" Rachel asked.

She shook her head no. "Mommy?"

"What baby?"

"Can I sleep in here with you?" The 4 year old asked, rubbing her tired eyes.

She looked to her husband for an answer, receiving a slight nod in response.

"Of course you can, honey." Finn replied.

Jillian wrapped her arms around her dad's neck, shoving finchel in his face. "Thanks daddy."

With a bear paw covering one eye, Finn lowered them both to the bed. "Wow, your bear tastes really good." He said sarcastically.

As soon as her tiny bare feet hit the sheets, she crawled over to her mother and curled up into a ball under the covers.

Finn and Rachel laid back down and got comfortable, just in time to hear their other daughters loud cries fill the air. Sighing, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "I'll get her." Reaching Payton's room only seconds later, she found her to be standing up in her crib, clutching on to the side. "Aw, Payton. Did the storm scare you too?" She picked the little girl up, cradling and bouncing her in her arms as she continued to sob. "Shhh, it's ok. Mommy's here."

Rachel returned to the master bedroom with Payton in tow, once she had calmed down a bit. Jillian was already out like a light again, snoring softly as her dad continuously rubbed small circles on her back.

"Party in our room tonight!" Finn whispered, jokingly. "Woo-hoo!"

"Yeah." Rachel sat down on the edge of their bed, sill holding their daughter, who was now almost back to sleep. "Ya know, I heard that boys are a whole lot easier to take care of. Therefore, I am so glad we aren't having another girl." She said, nodding toward her stomach.

"Me too." He agreed. "I am tired of living with all girls. All I ever hear on a daily basis is princess this, fairies that. I am in serious need of boy talk! Something like… Monster Trucks."

She giggled, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. "We are in way over our heads, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but we'll manage." He stated. "We can take on anything as long as we are doing it together."

She smiled. "Ugh, I am so tired." Laying the 1 year old down next to her, she slowly lowered herself to her pillow and sighed in relief.

"Goodnight, Rach. I love you."

"Love you too, Finn." Rachel yawned, finally able to shut her eyes again, knowing, that she only had a short period of time, see as, they had to wake up bright and early for yet another day of complete chaos. But that's the price she just had to pay, living a Life as a Hudson.


	2. APPENDICITIS

"You should really come out to the bar tonight, dude. It's going to be off the hook!"

Finn shook his head, slinging his gym bag over his shoulder as he exited MetLife stadium. "Nah, I think I am just going to head home and chill for the rest of the night. I'm kind of worn out from practice, plus, I have a wife and 2 kids to get back to..."

Tom Price, a fellow teammate, frowned. "Whatever, your loss, bro."

Climbing into his car, Finn tossed his duffle into the backseat and started it up. He then pulled his dead cell phone from his pocket, plugging it in for a charge, because Rachel would kill him if she needed something, but was unable to get in touch with him for a long period of time. And when it turned on, he noticed that he had missed quite a few calls from his brother and had a ton of unread messages from his best friend. Very curious as to what was up, he dialed up his voicemail and listened to the message that had been left, as he backed out of his reserved parking space and made his way onto the main drag. But quickly made a sharp U-turn after hearing why it was so important that he be reached.

"Kurt!" Finn yelled, sprinting down the hospital's corridor. "Kurt, what happened? Is she ok?"

Kurt stood up from his seat in the waiting room, glaring at the taller man. "Finn. Where the heck have you been?"

"At football practice. Where do you think?"

"And your coach doesn't allow you to check your phone in case of there ever being an emergency with your pregnant wife?"

"It died!"

"Oh, that's real nice, bro."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, panicking. "So, did you hear anything new from the doctor?"

"No." Blaine answered, cradling a napping Payton in his arms. "As far as we know, Rachel is still being examined."

"Alright."

"Daddy, is mommy going to be ok?" Jillian asked, with tear filled eyes.

"Yeah, baby." He nodded, picking her up. "She'll be fine."

Just then, Dr. Giles came out to greet them with the answer to all of their questions. "We suspect that it's appendicitis, which is nothing too serious… For her. But for the baby… Life threatening." He explained. "It all depends on whether or not the appendix ruptures though. That's something that we are trying to avoid. So, we have Mrs. Hudson on a very strong medication right now to help, until we can get her prepped and ready for surgery."

Finn nodded again, calming down a bit, now that he actually knew what was going on. "And when can we see her?"

"Oh, you can go in now, if you'd like. Room 315."

"Thanks so much, doc." After shaking the other man's hand, he led their small group down one of the long hallways and around the corner, where Rachel had her own little room. Walking in, he found his wife to be laying in her bed, curled up under the covers, and looking out the window.

"Mommy!" Jill cried, catching her attention, as she ran over to her mother and crawled up onto the bed beside her. "You're ok!"

"Yeah, I'm ok." Rachel stated, hugging her daughter and reaching up to kiss her husband.

"Hey you. How ya feeling?" He asked, taking her hand in his, as he sat down on the chair next to her.

"Really tired." She answered.

"Ya know, you had us pretty worried there." Blaine said.

"Yeah." Kurt agreed. "First, you don't show up for our little lunch date. And then we get a call from a hysterical Jill, saying that it's an emergency. Her mommy is in trouble."

She giggled, weakly. "Sorry about that. The pain was just becoming unbearable."

"It's not too bad right now, babe is it?"

"No. It's slowly going away. I think they actually gave me something for it."

Finn flashed her a small smile, pushing a chunk of hair behind her ear. "Alright, well, just try to get some rest, ok? The doctor will be coming back shortly to take you away."

"N-No, I'm… I'm scared."

"Why? There is nothing to be scared about, sweetheart."

Two nurses then came in, and started to prepare her for her move to an operating room, so that she could get the procedure, her appendix removed, done. As they did so, Kurt and Blaine waved, each wishing her good luck, before taking Payton, who was still out like a light, and Jillian, who protested against leaving, back out to the waiting area.

"Finn, I don't want to lose him." Rachel shouted, referring to Christopher, as tears welled up at the corners of her eyes. "I can't."

"Rach, the chances of that happening are slim to none. He will be ok." Finn assured her. "Now, I have to go…"

"Please, don't leave."

"I promise you. I will be the first one you see when you wake up." He said, placing a quick kiss upon her forehead as she was being pushed away in the opposite direction. "I love you."

"I love you too." She kept a tight grip on his hand and refused to let go, until she could no longer reach anymore.

Finn paced the waiting room a good half hour, before he got word that they were _just _putting her under. And he couldn't believe it, because really? Was it seriously taking this long to do the procedure? He remembered getting his appendix taken out when he was 10, and it only took like 15 minutes. "Oh, no." He thought. "What if something happened? What if something went wrong?"

"Finn!" Kurt yelled again, this time snapping him out of it. "You ok?"

"Uh… Yeah." He replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah."

"Are you sure?" He questioned, receiving a small nod in response. "Ok, well, I brought you a coffee up from the cafeteria. Should calm your nerves a bit."

"Um… Thanks, bro." Taking the Styrofoam container off of his brother, Finn took a sip of the hot liquid as he sat down. "I appreciate it."

"Rachel _will _be fine, Finn."

"I know, Kurt. I just… I still get worried."

"Why? Doctors do these types of things every day. They are professionals."

"But something can still go wrong!" He argued. "I just… Can't lose her."

"Finn, may I remind you, that she is only getting an organ, one that we don't even need, removed?"

"Still… Kurt, have you ever loved someone so much, that you can't even picture your life without them anymore?"

"Blaine. He's it. My other half. And now we have Abigail."

"So, you must know how I am feeling. Rachel… She's just _so _special. And she has given me Jillian and Payton, who I am so grateful for, and they mean so much."

Kurt chuckled. "You remember dating Quinn… Well, what if you had stayed with her?"

Finn shook his head, vigorously, making a face. "Never. I know that I would have found my way back to Rachel somehow, at some point."

"Yeah, I have to agree. Ever since I met you guys, I could just tell, that you would go the distance. Be together in the end."

"I always thought that too. Even though my relationships were just crazy rollercoaster rides." He laughed.

"Oh, they definitely were. Going from Quinn, to Rachel, then back to Quinn, then back to Rachel. Then just Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. I'm so glad you finally decided to stick with one."

"The right one."

Their conversation ended only moments later, when the doctor came into view, his clipboard in hand. "Mr. Hudson?"

"Yes?" Finn stood up.

"Your wife is out of surgery… It was a success."

He sighed with relief. "Great."

"She hasn't woken yet, but when she does she will be pretty out of it. You can thank the anesthesia for that… And when she is up and coherent enough, you can take her home."

"Really?"

"Yup. Rachel will just need to take it easy for the next week or so. I recommend that she stays in bed. And if she absolutely has to lift something for whatever reason, it can be no more than 15-20 pounds."

Finn nodded, taking in everything that was being said. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome." Dr. Giles said, before stepping away from the pair.

Finn smiled, turning around and speed walking back down to his wife's room. He just couldn't wait to see her. Going in, he found her sleeping, peacefully. So, he just placed a simple kiss on her cheek, before grabbing hold of her limp hand again and waited for her to come out of it. Which, surprisingly, wasn't too long.

"Finn." Rachel mumbled, slowly opening her eyes.

"Hey, baby."

"Hi."

"How are you doing, Diva?" Kurt asked.

"Still tired." She answered.

"Well, that's to be expected, Rach. But listen, the doctor said that as soon as you are up to it, we can get you home." Finn informed her.

She nodded, still groggy as well. "Ok."

"Ok. And I am afraid that there are some new house rules too."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?"

"Like, you have to stay in bed, which will be very difficult on my part. Seeing as, you are very stubborn, and most likely won't do what you're told. So, I will be watching you like a hawk."

"Can't wait." She said, sarcastically. "Where are the kids?"

"Jillian and Payton are back at the house with Blaine. They were both miserable and over tired."

"Awesome. I want to go see them." Rachel stated, trying to get up out of bed.

"Oh, no. She's already on the move!" Kurt yelled, running to her side, in case she needed anything.

Finn sighed, rolling his eyes. It was going to be one long recovery.


	3. COOKOUT

"Well…" Finn started, falling back onto the couch with a loud huff. "That was the last box." He wrapped an arm around his wife, pulling her closer and kissing her temple. "We are officially moved in."

She sighed, a small smile spreading across her face as she took in the sight of their new living room.

Picking up and buying another place had definitely not been a part of the Hudson's plan. Especially, since the arrival of baby Christopher was quickly approaching. But it had to be done. Their old house had just been outgrown and the amount of room they had became very scarce. They needed something bigger now, to fit their growing family comfortably. So, figuring it'd be best to get it done sooner than later, they made a few calls and met with a realtor. No decisions were final though. With all of Rachel's doubts about the whole situation happening so close to her due date, it was holding them back. That is until… One lot that they looked at in particular, caught her attention. A beautiful, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, home, made of gray cobblestone and located just outside of Central Park. It was _perfect_. Very convenient for both of their jobs, as well. And in the end, everyone was happy they had agreed to make the successful move.

"And, hey, would you look at that? Just in time for the cookout!" He continued, checking his watch. "Oh, which we should probably start getting ready for, babe."

"Right." Rachel nodded, pushing herself up and out of her seat. "There is still so much to do." She turned back around, locking eyes with her husband. "Listen, I have to run upstairs and get the girls ready. So, you wouldn't mind working on preparing the fruit salad?"

He shook his head, standing himself. "Sure, sweetheart."

"Great." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Thanks, honey."

He waited for her to leave the room, before letting out an annoyed grunt and trudging into the kitchen. Then, going into the fridge, he rummaged through, finding all the ingredients he needed, before making his way over to the counter to get started.

Something Finn would never admit to his woman, just how much he _hated _working on preparing the fruit salad. She leaves that job for him almost every day they hold some sort of gathering and to be honest, he's kind of tired of it. Wasting numerous amounts of his time, peeling and cutting all of that dreadful fruit that she always insisted on getting from the store, because apparently, they needed to have a variety for their guests, even though he's assured her that it's an unnecessary purchase. But, he doesn't ever mention it, he puts up with it, because she already did too many things for him, her being the amazing person she is. And it was just right for him to return the favor.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Jillian made her entrance, skipping over to him and bouncing up and down at his feet. "Hi."

"Hey, Jilly bean. What's up?"

"Nuttin." She answered, stretching, up on her tippy toes, trying to get a better look at what _he_ was up to. "Daddy, what are you making?"

"Mommy's fruit salad." He replied. "But there's a little problem."

"What's wrong?" She asked, worriedly.

"Well, you see, I won't know if it's any good or not if someone doesn't try it. But nobody is around to help me."

Jill was fast to raise her hand high in the air. "I'll be your taster testerer!"

He chuckled. "You'll be my taste tester?"

"Yeah, I can do it. I'm almost 5 now." She explained. "A whole hand!"

"Alright then." He laughed. "Try this." Reaching into the bowl, he pulled out a small piece of strawberry, her favorite, and popped it into her mouth. "How is it?"

"It's yummy!" She giggled. "You're a good cook, daddy."

Just then, Rachel came back with a sleepy Payton in tow. "Well that's the first I've heard that." She stated, setting her daughter down on her feet, before joining him at the sink and assisting him with the food.

Finn rolled his eyes, nudging her with his elbow, only to be shoved playfully in return.

"Hey, mommy?" Jillian questioned, climbing up onto one of the stools at the bar. "What kind of fuit were you?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, giving her 4 year old a very confused look. She couldn't even imagine where this was coming from. "What kind of_ fruit_ was I?"

Jill nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Um… Well. I don't know." She chuckled. "I don't recall ever being a fruit in my past life."

"But daddy said that you were a berry." She admitted. "Were you a blueberry?"

Both adults laughed.

"No, sweetie, you misunderstood. Berry was my last name before I married daddy and became a Hudson. I wasn't an actual fruit."

"Oh." Jillian giggled again, feeling silly. "Well, if you could be a fuit, what would you be?" She asked, curiously.

"Hmmm… Probably a Strawberry."

"They're my favorite!"

"I know, I know." Rachel smiled, tapping the little girl on the nose. "Mine too."

Finn, listening in on their conversation, finished up with the cantaloupe and threw the small pieces into the bowl, before taking out the Watermelon. And just as he was about to start chopping, he felt a light tug on his pant leg. Moving his gaze to the floor, he found Payton, who had been keeping herself occupied with the alphabet magnets on the stove. "And what can I do for you, cutie?"

"Daddy." The one and a half year old whined, reaching out for him. "Up!"

"Oh, alright." Finn bent over, taking her tiny frame into his embrace and resting her body weight on his left hip. "I guess I can spare a few seconds for you." Swaying on his heels, he fed her a grape, which kept her quiet for awhile, letting him get the last of the job done.

"I'll get that." Rachel set her knife down on the counter once she heard the doorbell ring, and quickly shoved a chunk of pineapple into her mouth, before running to answer it. "Mercedes!" She yelled. "Hi."

"Hey!" Mercedes slung her purse over her shoulder, pulling her friend in for a tight hug. "How the heck are you? It's been a long time."

"I know. I've missed you like crazy; we have to get together more often." She replied. "And everyone here is fantastic. How are you doing?"

Opening her bag, Mercedes searched around for what she was looking for, before handing the piece of paper over to the petite brunette. "This says it all."

Rachel unfolded the sheet and read it anxiously, her eyes growing wide. "You're getting married?" She gasped. "To who?"

"You might not remember him, but his name is Donavan." She answered. "We have been with each other for 11 months now, and he popped the question just a couple weeks ago!"

"Wait, is he that guy you brought as your date to Finn's birthday party in October?"

"Yup! That's my man."

Seeing how excited Mercedes was, Rachel started to cry and pulled her in for another hug. "I am so happy for you, Mercedes."

"Thanks, diva."

Finn made himself known again, only seconds later, walking in with Payton in his arms, while Jillian kept a tight grip on his hand. "What's all the excitement about? What'd I miss?"

"Well, if it isn't Finn Hudson." Mercedes said. "Long time no see, buddy."

"Finn, Mercedes got engaged! She's getting married."

"What? No way! Congratulations!" He cheered, squeezing her with his free arm. "Who's the lucky dude?"

"Donnie. You remember him, right?"

"Oh, yeah. He was cool."

The sound of the doorbell ringing filled the air again, breaking the silence, and Rachel jumped to get it.

"Everyone is arriving." She announced. "Babe, why don't you take the girls outside with you and get the grill started? It's almost dinner time, so people will be hungry."

"Ok."

"Here, I'll help you." Mercedes stood up too, following Finn out, as his wife reopened the door.

"Kurt Hummel has arrived!" Kurt stepped into the house, pecking Rachel on the cheek. "How is my lovely sister-in-law doing today?"

"I'm alright." She giggled. "You?"

"Fine." Blaine stated, entering. "Hello, Rachel. You're positively glowing."

"Thank you." Rachel smiled. "Um… If you want, Finn, the kids, Mercedes, they're all hanging out in the back yard. There are lots of snacks. And the pool is open, due to the nice weather Mother Nature has decided to give us this September."

Kurt nodded. "Let's go."

Rachel went to lead them out, but was interrupted by the doorbell once again. So, she pointed in the right direction, before she found Quinn and Puck waiting on the front porch with their children.

"Sup, Berry? Where's…"

"Hudson." She corrected him for the millionth time, even though she knew that it would probably never click in his head.

"Yeah, whatever. Where's Finn?"

She sighed. "Through the kitchen, then go out the sliding glass doors."

Puck nodded, exiting the room with his kids, who all immediately took advantage of the pool, playing a round of chicken. Jillian, Abby, and Blaine went in after them when Jake Puckerman began a game of Marco Polo, while Kurt and Mercedes sat on the edge the entire time until their meal was ready, their legs dangling in the water as they talked wedding plans.

"Burgers are done!" Finn hollered, from his spot by the grill, where he had been playing Patty Cake with Payton while he waited for the meat to cook. "Come and get em."

Everyone flew out of the pool at his call, like they hadn't eaten for days. Then, making a line around the food filled table, they piled their plates high, before finding a seat around the lit fire pit, its glow being the only source of light in the darkening night.

"So, the Hudson clan is about to add another member?" Mercedes questioned, munching on a French fry.

"Yes!" Finn answered, making a plate for his wife, before sitting down between her and Jillian. "And I am proud to say that we are getting a boy this time. Thank god."

Quinn laughed. "And when are you due again, Rachel?"

"November 29th. Only 2 more months to go."

"I'm just hoping that he won't want to make his appearance any sooner and come for Thanks giving." Kurt admitted. "I plan on going all out and making an extravagant meal since I am hosting family dinner this year. I even got a new Turkey recipe that I think you will enjoy very much."

"Don't worry, Kurt. I had both Jillian and Payton a couple days to a week late." Rachel informed him. "So, I will be shocked if Christopher comes early."

"You never know, though." Puck said. "We had all of our kids come late except for the last one. Quinn had Kayla 2 weeks early. On Valentine's Day."

"Yeah, Puck and I usually do something special, but instead, we spent hours at the hospital."

"And it wasn't even romantic! All she did was scream at me and then crush every bone in my hand."

They all laughed, finishing up eating and catching up, before going back into the pool. There was no denying that the group was close. And they had so much fun together.

"Noah, stop splashing me!" Rachel shouted, trying to block herself and a giggling Payton from the water being thrown their way.

"Make me!" He argued.

"Yo, dude!" Finn swam over to where they were, pushing his best friend away. "Back off."

"Thank you, Finn." She rung her shirt out, as she tried catching her breath. She had sat _outside _of the pool for a reason. To stay dry.

"She's _mine._" He joked, splashing her himself. "And _I_ am the only one allowed to splash her."

"Finn!" She growled, watching him and Puck high five. "Knock it off!"

"Relax, baby." Continuing to chuckle, he took her hand in his, realizing that that was enough. She was getting aggravated, and nobody liked a mad Rachel. "We were just messing with you."

"Well… I'm not laughing."

"Because you are being such a Debbie Downer right now."

"Am not!"

"Are too." He mocked, moving in closer to her face.

"Am not." She grumbled.

"Are too." Finn whispered, kissing her lips, only breaking away when he caught his daughter staring. "Hey. What are you looking at?" Leaning against the side wall, he tickled her stomach and made her flinch. "Are you gonna come in with me, Pay? Since mommy won't."

Payton shook her head; wrapping her arms around Rachel's neck and making him frown. She was being shy, which was kind of an odd trait for her to have. Seeing as, she had two of the most outgoing people for parents. But with everyone around, that was usually when she clung to her mother for comfort.

"Go swim with daddy, honey." Rachel cooed, rubbing small circles on her lower back. "You're ok."

"Come on." He took hold of her, lowering her into the water.

"Oh, Finn, just be careful with her. She doesn't have her floaties on."

"I know, Rach." Tightening his grip on her. "See, it's not so bad, right, Pay?"

Payton began to shiver, along with her teeth starting to chatter.

"Is someone cold?" Rachel asked.

"Brrrrr." She whimpered.

Giggling, she waddled into the house quick, grabbing the one year olds favorite towel, a gray cat with a tail, ears and all, and brought it out for her. Draping it over her shoulders, she pulled Payton onto her lap and cradled her against her chest the best she could with her bump, making an attempt to warm her up.

It wasn't long before Jillian started complaining, as well. The temperature had dropped drastically within the hour, making it super chilly. So, everyone decided to get changed back into their regular clothes for the night and have dessert. Smores.

"Is it good, Jilly bean?" Rachel questioned, receiving a chocolaty smile and a nod in response, as she wiped Payton's sticky fingers. "Yeah, can you make me one?"

"Ok! It will be the best one you've ever had, mommy." Jillian stated.

"Well, I should get going, guys." Mercedes slipped her cell phone back into her pocket, before picking her purse up off the deck. "I wish I could hang out a bit more, but Donavan is waiting up at the apartment for me."

"Oh, ok." Finn threw more wood into the fire. "I guess we'll see you then. And tell Donnie to come next time. We'd love to get to know him better."

"Yes, he's always welcome here."

"Will do." Mercedes gave both Finn and Rachel a hug goodbye. "I'll see you all later, ok?"

"Bye!" They yelled, as she left.

"I hate to say it… But we have to head out too." Quinn said. "The boys have a game in the morning and need to get to bed. Plus, the girls will be miserable if they stay up much longer."

"Yeah, Abigail, are you ready to leave, sweetheart?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah." She mumbled, tiredly.

"Well, I'm glad all of you could make it today. We'll have to get together again soon." Rachel walked them all back through the house and to the front door with Payton trailing behind, while Jillian and Finn cleaned up.

"Definitely." Kurt agreed.

She smiled. "Alright. Bye, guys." Locking up, she picked her daughter up, kissing her forehead, and shut off all the living room lights. "Well, that was fun! Are you ready for bed now, Pay?"

Payton yawned, rubbing at her eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes." She waited for her husband and 4 year old to come inside, before intertwining her fingers with his, going upstairs and tucking the girls in for the night.

"Next time, I'm bringing out the Wii." Finn said, crawling into bed himself. "I'm beast at Dance Dance Revolution. You're all goin down."

She laughed, curling up beside him under the covers. "I love you, Finn."

"I love you too, Rach."


	4. WELCOME TO THE WORLD

"Hey, are you feeling alright?" Finn questioned, taking his eyes off of the road for a split second to check on his wife in the passenger seat. "Rachel?" He tried again.

She snapped out of her daze, looking back at him. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You seem tense." He reached for her hand, but she quickly pulled away, knowing that she would squeeze it too hard and give herself away.

"I'm fine." She lied through clenched teeth, another sharp pain arising in the midst of her stomach. "Just really hungry."

"Oh, that's good." He played along. "Kurt is going all out for Thanksgiving dinner this year."

She took a deep breath. "Can't wait."

When they arrived at the Anderson's apartment building, Finn climbed out of the car and tended to the girls. Rachel hesitated.

"You coming, babe?" He asked, receiving a nod in response, and she fought against the vigorous back ache to stand up. "Slow poke." He teased, walking ahead with an anxious Jillian and sleepy Payton.

"Oh no…" She froze in her tracks, staring down at the puddle that had formed below her feet. "Finn?"

"Yeah?" He called back.

"My water just broke." She said and everything became a blur.

Finn ran for the elevator, Jillian hanging upside down in one arm while Payton rested on the opposite hip, and he dropped then off with the family. He apologized for the inconvenience, but nobody could hear his jumbled words, for he was already back out the door. When he returned to the parkade, Rachel was in the same position he had left her in. She held her hip with one hand and clutched her protruding bump with the other.

"We have to get you to the hospital." He rushed, helping her into the Escalade. "I knew there was something up!"

"But what about the holiday?"

"Oh, who the heck cares, Rach?!" He hopped in beside her, pulling onto the main drag, where they soon found themselves stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. "Come on!" He yelled, his hand glued to the horn.

"Relax, honey." Rachel practically demanded. "There was probably an accident up ahead. "

"They should have the roads cleaned by now!"

"It takes time." She stated. "Calm down."

"I don't want you giving birth to our son in the car!"

"I'm not going to!" Rachel argued. "Geez, it's not like this is our first child. There's no reason to get so nervous."

"Don't worry, I'll get you there." He promised, Rachel rolling her eyes as he did so. Since when was she the one freaking out?

"You're so frustrating."

"But I am getting better at this." He said proudly.

"Not really."

When an hour and a half passed and they still hadn't moved, Rachel started to panic. Finn tried his best to console her, but there was no hope. She was progressing… Fast.

"I hate you." She growled. "Why did you do this to me again?"

"I know you're upset, but-"

"_Shut up_, you jerk."

"Just breathe, o-"

"I am, and it's obviously not working!" Rachel held her own hand down on the horn this time and finally, the car in front of them moved. "Get me to the hospital now, Finn."

Finn stepped on the gas and got her there in record time, somehow managing to avoid a speeding ticket. Rachel was 10 centimeters dilated and ready to go. She lashed out on him the entire time, but it was totally worth it because after all her screaming and his bruised hand, Christopher Noah Hudson was introduced. All 11 pounds of him.

"You did great, baby." Finn placed a kiss on her forehead, their little, blue bundle of joy snoring softly in her arms. "He's perfect."

"No matter how many times, this never gets easier."

He chuckled. "He has your eyes."

"But every other feature was clearly inherited from you." Rachel stuck out her finger and the baby immediately latched on. "Isn't that right, buddy?" She cooed. "You're a carbon copy of your daddy."

Finn smiled. "I can't wait to teach him how to play football, basketball, the drums…"

"Babe, he just learned how to open his eyes."

"Then, we'll just stick to peek-a-boo."

Rachel giggled, falling asleep shortly after. She was exhausted, and he couldn't blame her for wanting to take advantage of the z's because they wouldn't be obtaining many for the next few weeks, but he chose to hold his son for the first time instead. He had a one way conversation with him and it felt as if they bonded instantly. Not that he wasn't grateful for Jillian and Payton, he loved them more than anything, but raising a boy is different.

"Daddy." Payton wobbled over to where he resided by the window, Blaine and Jillian following behind, and he was pulled from his thoughts.

"What's up, kiddo?" He laid Christopher back down in his crib and caught the toddler in his embrace. "You want to meet your brother?"

"I do!" Jill yelled and Blaine motioned for her to be quieter, but Rachel had already been woken up. "Sorry, mommy."

"It's ok, Jilly bean." Rachel yawned, crawling out of bed to admire the newest addition to their family. "Can you believe that we have 3 kids now?"

"It's still sinking in." Finn answered while Payton continued to study her younger sibling.

"Baby!" She pointed out.

"Yeah, that's Christopher." Rachel said.

"Critopoper."

"Close enough." He chuckled, kissing her cheek. "Say hi, Jill."

The 4 year old stood on her tippy toes to get a better view, whispering in his ear. "Welcome to the world."


	5. A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

_"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock… Jingle bells swing, and jingle bells ring... Snowing, and blowing, up bushels of fun… Now the jingle hop has begun!"_

The Hudson's danced around their living room to the beat of a Christmas cd, decorating from top to bottom with bright lights and garland for the upcoming holidays.

_"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock... Jingle bells chime, in jingle bell time…Dancin' and prancin', in jingle bell square…In the frosty air!"_

Rachel laced her arms around Jillian and spun her around, both of them singing along.

_"What a bright time… It's the right time… To rock the night away."_

Finn swayed with Payton, handing her the last ornament to hang on the tree.

_"Jingle bell time, is a swell time…"_

They all froze, taking a dramatic pause.

"_To go riding in a one horse sleigh!"_

Carrying on, the 4 year old was lifted up and given the star, which she happily placed atop the 7 foot pine.

_"Giddy-up, jingle horse, pick up your feet… Jingle around the clock…Mix and a mingle, in a jinglin' beat."_

The family prepared for a big finish, striking different poses.

_"That's the jingle bell rock!"_

The music ended and Finn fell onto the couch with a loud huff, bringing a giggling 2 year old down with him. "I am all jingle belled out!" He said, trying to catch his breath.

"Well, don't give up on us now, grandpa." Rachel teased. "We still have cookies to decorate."

"Oh, yeah!" Jill cheered. "Let's go!"

The girls ran into the kitchen while Rachel stayed behind to help her lazy husband out of his seat. Then, as Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree started blasting, they collected the necessary toppings and all gathered around the table.

"Mommy, will Santa still be able to find us now that we live in a new house?" Jillian asked curiously, adding M&M buttons to her snowman.

"Of course, honey." Rachel answered. "He knows where every little boy and girl is."

"How?"

"Well…" She began, trying to think up a believable story. "Daddy told him."

The 4 year old perked up and Finn shot his wife a glare for getting him involved. "You know Santa, daddy?"

He nodded. "We go way back."

"So, you know what presents he's giving us?"

"I do." He stated. "But my lips are sealed."

Jill frowned.

"Oh, Pay." Rachel sighed, turning toward the icing stained toddler. "You're a mess!" She reached for a napkin and wiped her daughter's sticky hands and face off, Payton giggling as she did so. "Luckily, it didn't get on your clothes."

"Uh… Rach?" Finn looked down at the dried food coloring on his shirt and chuckled innocently.

She forgot that she had 4 children to care for now.

***BREAK***

Finn sat on the floor with Payton and Jillian, playing with their dolls, while Rachel fed her 2 week old son. _How The Grinch Stole Christmas _was airing on television and the fireplace burned in the corner, but none of them paid much attention.

"Someone was hungry." Rachel cooed, burping Christopher after he finished his bottle. "You're getting so big, buddy."

"I think he takes after daddy." Jill said with a laugh.

"He sure does." Finn agreed proudly. "Size and all."

Rachel adjusted the baby in her arms, Chris yawning tiredly. "Looks like it's time for bed."

"No bed." Payton argued and Finn captured her in his embrace, blowing raspberries on her rosy cheek.

"Yes bed!"

"It's past 9 o'clock already." Rachel informed them. "I'm surprised you're still functioning."

"I want to stay up and wait for Santa." Jillian admitted, standing to lay out the cookies they made.

"Don't count on it, kiddo." She set Christopher down on his blanket before helping the 4 year old pour a glass of milk. "He won't stop if you do. Those are the rules."

"Why doesn't he want to see us?"

"Enough questions for tonight." Rachel chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Let's go throw out some food for the reindeer (oatmeal and glitter)."

"Ok!"

***BREAK***

Finn was awoken the next morning by the pitter patter of feet. He prayed that he was only dreaming, the noise growing louder as his daughter got closer. It was times like those that he wished Rachel would reconsider the idea of installing a lock on their door. She was a sound sleeper, though, and he was jealous.

"Mommy?" Jill slowly crawled onto their bed and hovered over her parents, poking her father's nose. "Daddy?"

He groaned, causing his wife to stir.

"Santa came!" She yelled, bouncing up and down.

"Jill…" Rachel mumbled. "What time is it?"

Finn checked the clock on their dresser, his vision still blurry. "6:24."

"It's too early." She forced Jillian under the covers and promised to get up in another hour, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, Payton called her name. There was no hope. "Fine, you guys win."

Rachel slid into her robe and Finn brewed coffee downstairs before they met in the living room. Jillian nearly attacked her gifts, tearing paper off of a tutu and crown, a book of fairytales, a sparkly purse and the fuzzy, pink blanket she wanted from Target. Payton unwrapped _The Little Mermaid_ DVD, stuffed animals (she had an obsession), new princess pajamas with the matching slippers and a puzzle that immediately had to be put together. Chris couldn't do much, so his walker and teething rings were opened for him. All of the kids received new clothes and toys, and as a whole, their parents bought them a popcorn maker for their weekly movie night. As a thank you, they gave their mom a Nook and their dad, a gold watch.

"How does a Cinnamon French Toast breakfast sound?" Rachel asked.

"Yummy!" Jill answered and Finn was the first one in the kitchen.

***BREAK***

"We're going to be late… Again."

"Relax." Rachel comforted, fixing her husband's tie. "Your parents aren't even here yet."

"But I don't want a bad reputation."

She rolled her eyes, moving to skim through the jewelry in her vanity.

"I know what'll go good with that dress." He reaches into his pocket for a small, velvet box, and she gasped in surprise. "Crystal, perhaps?" He popped the lid off and revealed the necklace and pair of earrings she had spotted in the window at Swarovski the month before.

"Oh my…" She was speechless, awe struck. "They're so beautiful."

"I wanted to wait until the moment was right."

"I love them." She stood on her toes to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I love _you_."

"I love you, too."

"It's not as special, but…" She scurried into the closet and felt around the highest shelf for his iPod. "I thought that you could listen to it when you go for your daily jog, and I uploaded all of our songs."

"Thanks, babe." Finn smiled. "It's perfect, just like you."He leaned in for another smooch, but Jillian barged in, complaining as usual. "Ugh."

"Later." Rachel whispered, winking.

"Mommy, my stockings are itchy." Jill whined, vigorously scratching at her legs. "Why do I have to wear them?"

"I'm sorry, but you can't wear jeans to go caroling with the church."

The 4 year old stomped her foot angrily as Payton entered, tugging at her long sleeves.

"I hot."She cried.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Finn raced to answer it, leaving Rachel to deal with the chaos. It was Carole, Burt and Kristen, who had flown in for the holidays. They hung out in the dining area for awhile, until Christopher cooperated, before the family piled into their cars and hit the road. The Andersons had already arrived at their destination.

***BREAK***

"Well, that was… Fun." Blaine stepped into his and Kurt's apartment, and hung his coat on the rack. "I don't think that we'll ever be allowed to volunteer again, though."

Christopher screamed his head off, Payton continued to climb on Finn as if he was a jungle gym and Jillian eventually became so bored that she fell asleep in the snow. Not to mention, Carole and Burt got into a loud argument after Abigail accidentally elbowed Kristen and gave her a bloody lip.

"Yes, we made a scene, but what is a choir without our voices?" Rachel questioned, rocking on her heels with a napping Payton. "We are the entertainment."

"So true." Kurt agreed. "Now, come help me with dinner." He demanded, grabbing hold of her wrist and dragging her away.

"There might be a game on." Burt said, snatching the remote, and the guys, along with Jillian and Abigail, made themselves comfortable on the recliners while their significant others worked. As a result, they had to wash the dishes and serve the pie for dessert.

"So, we have some big news." Carole shouted and Finn cringed.

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No, honey." She replied. "Burt proposed!"

The room grew silent.

"You're already-"

"Married? Yes, for 11 years." She explained. "We want to renew our vows. Plus, we never went on a honeymoon."

"This is so exciting!" Kurt clapped. "Leave all the planning to me."

"We want something small. Family only." Burt stated. "And the ceremony will be held in Rome."

Rachel choked on her punch. "As in Italy?"

"Well, it's only the most romantic city." Carole took hold of her husband's hand and squeezed it.

"I thought that was Paris…" Finn trailed off.

She ignored her clueless son and continued. "Anyway, we'd like to do this in a couple of months."

"Can Jeffrey tag along?" Kristen asked. "He's my new boyfriend."

"_What_?" Both Finn and Burt screeched.

She shrugged. "Merry Christmas!"


	6. MIA

"Mommy!" Jillian Hudson ran into her brother's room, clad in a blue tutu and the matching crown. "Let's play!"

Rachel, who was trying to calm her crying son, shook her head no. "I'm sorry, honey. But I can't right now." She answered. "Maybe later."

She nodded sadly, turning to her father. "Daddy?"

"In a little bit, Jilly bean, ok?" Finn replied, going through a 2 month old Chris's closet, in search for pajamas to change him into before he was put down for the night.

"But, daddy!"

"No, sweetheart." He said. "We're busy."

Jill pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why does Chwis always get all the attention?"

"Because he's not quite ready to care for himself yet."

"But, mommy…"

"Jillian, we said no!"Finn didn't mean to raise his voice, he rarely ever did, but it was usually the only thing that got the 4 year old to listen. "Just go to your room and play by yourself for awhile."

She frowned, pulling the crown from her long, brown locks and leaving.

Rachel sighed, glaring at her husband."You didn't have to yell at her like that."

"But she needs to understand that she is not the only child in this house."

"She's 4."

"Exactly. So, she's old enough to know that by now."

"Finn…" She saw where her husband was coming from, but that didn't stop her from feeling bad. All the little girl wanted to do was have some fun. "I'm just gonna go speak to her, make sure she's alright." Handing the baby over, she gave him a quick goodnight kiss before exiting the room and going up the hall to her daughter's. But she wasn't in there. "Jillian?" Receiving no answer in response, she decided to head to the first floor to look; figuring that Jill might have went downstairs to play instead. But the kitchen and living room were empty too. "Jilly bean, where are you?" Taking a peek into the playroom, she then started to panic. "This isn't funny…" And that's when she noticed it. The front door, wide open. "You know that you are not allowed outside unless daddy or I are watching you."Stepping out into the chilly, darkening night, she looked around the yard. "Jillian!" She shouted, sprinting toward the abandoned bear on the sidewalk. Picking it up and holding it close before running back upstairs. "Finn, she's gone. Jillian's gone!"

He shut off the light in Payton's room, walking out. Worry written across his face. "What do you mean she's gone?"

"I-I looked everywhere. Her room, the kitchen, the living room… And the door was open, so I even went outside." She explained, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "But… She- She's nowhere to be found."

"Um… Ok. Don't freak out." He said. "She's probably just hiding. Ya know, playing a game or something."

She nodded.

"We'll just go around and double check for her." Finn stated, hoping that the worst didn't happen and that they'd have some luck. But they didn't. "You didn't see her?" He questioned nervously, coming in off of the back porch.

"No." Rachel whispered. "Finn, what if something happened to her? What if she was stolen?"

"She wasn't." He argued, still looking on the bright side. "I bet she's just at one of the neighbors places."

"But she knows better. Jill wouldn't just leave." She cried, squeezing her daughter's favorite bear tighter. "Plus, Finchel was left on the ground, and she never goes _anywhere _without him."

"It'll be ok." He pulled his wife into his embrace, burying his face in her hair as he rubbed small circles on her back. "We'll find her, Rach."

They had called Kurt up immediately, telling him to hurry over. And he wasn't a tad hesitant, arriving with Blaine and Abby 10 minutes after.

"Did you guys phone the police?" Blaine asked, sitting down at the dining room table.

"Yeah." Rachel nodded. "They're on their way."

He sighed. "I can't believe we are in this position right now."

"Me either." Finn admitted. "The whole situation feels so unreal."

"And everything just happened so fast." She sniffled. "One minute Jillian's here with us, safe. And then the next she's not. She just disappeared."

The sound of the doorbell ringing filled the air, ending their conversation only seconds later. Kurt was the one to run and answer it, finding a tall, blonde cop to be at their service.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson. I'm officer Lutz." He spoke. "I'm here to ask you a few questions, get more information."

They both nodded.

"Of course." Rachel said. "Her name is Jillian Caroline Hudson. She's 4 years old with brown shoulder length hair and brown eyes."

"Do you have any recent pictures?"

"Oh, yeah." Finn reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Here's one."

"And when was the last time you saw your daughter, Mrs. Hudson?" He asked, taking hold of the photograph.

"Well, we were upstairs in the nursery, putting our newborn son to bed, when she came in and asked us to play with her. But we said that we couldn't because we were busy with her brother and she left." She explained. "She was upset though, so I went to talk to her a couple minutes later, and that's when I realized that she was missing."

"Mrs. Hudson, is it possible that Jillian could have run away?" Lutz asked curiously.

"Run away?" Finn repeated in shock. "Jill would never…. At least I don't think."

"No. That's crazy!" Rachel refused to believe that. "Why would our daughter ever feel the need to run away from her home? Or from us?"

"Because she is clearly jealous." Blaine, the therapist, cut in. "And she is probably feeling a bit neglected as well. With Christopher here now, both of you have turned all your focus on him."

"So, you're saying…"

"This was all our fault, Finn." Rachel sobbed.

Finn dropped his head in shame.

"Listen…" Officer Lutz continued. "I have dealt with plenty of cases similar to this one before, so we know how to handle it. A team will be sent out to look for her and we won't rest until she is relocated." He said. "We will find your Jillian, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson. No matter how long it takes."

"Thank you very much." Kurt smiled weakly, showing him out.

"We drove our own daughter away, Rach."

"Hey." Blaine put a comforting hand on their shoulders. "Don't blame yourselves."

"We're such terrible people." Rachel fell back onto the couch, wiping at her watery eyes.

"She'll be ok, diva." Kurt returned. "I promise."

"How can you promise something like that, Kurt? My 4 year old daughter is lost!" She yelled. "She's somewhere, all alone, in this cold, snowy, winter weather, in one of the most dangerous cities in the country. You can't possibly know anything about her at this point." She stormed up the stairs, slamming and locking the bed room door.

"I'm so sorry." Finn sighed. "She's just really worked up and scared."

"No, don't apologize, Finn. She has every right to be." Kurt replied, pulling out his singing phone before looking at the caller I.D. "Hello?" He answered. "Hi, Carole… Alright, I'll tell them….Ok… Have a safe flight… Bye." He hung up, turning to his brother. "Your mom and my dad are on their way. I told them about Jillian awhile ago, but there were only seats left on the plane flying out at 10 o'clock."

He nodded, surprising the smaller boy with a hug. "Thanks for being here, bro."

"It's no problem, honestly. I mean, she's my niece and I love her to death."

"And we aren't going to give up. They'll find her." Blaine added. "But until they do, I think it'd be best we get some sleep. At least try to."

"Ok. You guys are staying?"

"Definitely. We want to be here when officer Lutz calls with the good news."

"Alright." He flashed his brother-in-law a small smile. "You guys can take the guest room then. Night."

"Goodnight."

Finn shut off all of the lights before trudging up the stairs and making his way into the master bedroom. Rachel had already been in bed, curled up under the covers, clutching Jillian's stuffed bear. So, he just climbed in next to her and wrapped his arm around her petite body, intertwining their fingers together. Neither of them planned to even shut their eyes that night.

"What are you feeling?" She asked curiously, after laying in silence for what felt like an eternity, just waiting for the phone to ring.

"Like I should be out looking for Jillian right now, instead of just talking about it." He whispered. "Like a sucky parent."

"Me too."

"In my head, I keep telling myself that they'll find her."

"This whole thing should have never even happened in the first place. We should have just played with her."

"No." He stated dryly. "No, we shouldn't have to keep giving into her. She needs to learn that she can't always have what she wants."

"Yeah, you're right." She agreed. "I just hate that her reaction to being so upset was running away though! And I want her back. Here, in my arms. Because I love her so much. Even if she doesn't seem to think I do."

"She knows that we love her."

"But we influenced the whole thought!"

"Jill just get's in her moods." He continued. "And this time, unfortunately, she took things a little too far."

She sniffled, nodding. "New York is so big, Finn. She could be anywhere."

"I know. But she is tough." He informed her. "Plus, brave just like her mommy. And because of that, she can survive anything."

Rachel rolled over, burying her face in his t-shirt. "I love you."

"I love you too, Rach."

***BREAK***

"Good morning, guys." Carole, who had arrived early with Burt and Kristen, set plates full of food down on the table. "I made some breakfast."

"No thanks." Rachel mumbled, pushing her plate away. "I'm not hungry."

"Babe, you should at least try to eat _something_."

"No." She argued. "No, I am not eating anything until our daughter is sitting at this table, eating with us!"

"Rach…"

"Finn, they aren't trying hard enough!" She yelled. "Officer Lutz, he… "

"He is doing the best he can. I'm sure." Burt comforted.

"Listen to me." Finn ordered, looking into her water filled eyes. "They have 50 men out on the job, working hard. She will be found."

"What if she isn't?" She questioned. "I can't lose her, Finn. I can't!"

"Whatever you do, don't lose all hope just yet, Rachel." Blaine interjected.

"I-I just want my baby back." She cried.

"Shh, it's ok." Finn took her into his embrace, kissing her hair before resting his own head upon hers. "It'll be ok."

Later on that day, Finn and his boys had gone out looking for Jillian, while Rachel stayed home with the girls, awaiting an important call.

"They'll find her, Rachy." Quinn said, trying to comfort her depressed friend.

She nodded, leaning over and lying her head down on the blonde's lap. "I hope you're right."

"I am."

Mercedes, feeling great sympathy for the family, suggested they drop the subject and brought up a more exciting topic. "So, Carole. You're getting married again? That's awesome."

The older woman smiled. "Yes. Burt and I will be renewing our vows in Rome this July, since we want to finally take that long overdue honeymoon of ours."

"That sounds so nice." Tracy, Sam's wife, added. "Do you have anything planned out yet?"

"Well, I was thinking that Lavender would be a pretty, simple, color scheme."

"Oh, definitely." She replied. "And I also heard from a little birdie, Mercedes, you're getting married as well?"

"Yes." Mercedes giggled. "Next month. On St. Patrick's Day."

"St. Patrick's Day?" Tracy questioned. "Really?"

"I know it isn't the ideal date to celebrate love, but it's different." She answered. "Plus, Donavan and I wanted a winter wedding."

"I think that green would be a great color choice for you, Cedes." Quinn stated.

"Thanks, Quinnie."

Tracy turned toward a very quiet Rachel, who was currently just listening to their conversation. "Rachel, what was your wedding like?" She asked curiously. She wasn't there, so she was very interested.

"Um… It was blue, Finn picked the color. And there were a lot of roses…"

"And your dress? What did it look like?"

"Strapless, princess gown. With sparkles."

"Where was the ceremony held? New York?"

She nodded again. "St. Patrick's church in the city. And for our honeymoon, Finn surprised me by flying us out to Paris." She explained. "Going there was on my bucket list."

"That's so romantic." Tracy said. "Sam took me to Vegas for ours. And boy did we have fun… That's when Ian came along!"

"Puck and I went to Hawaii for 2 weeks."

"I am not so sure about where Donnie is planning for us to go." Mercedes cut back in. "But I have been sending him little hints about Jamaica. I am dying to go there!"

Just then, Finn returned home, leading Puck, Donavan, Burt, Sam, Blaine and Kurt back through the door.

"Any luck?" Carole asked anxiously.

Puck looked down at the floor, shaking his head no.

"But I'm positive, she'll turn up soon." Sam chimed in. "She has to."

"Jill…" Burt began speaking but was interrupted by the ringing phone.

Rachel quickly reached over and grabbed it off the hook, holding it against her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello. Mrs. Hudson." The man's voice came through. "This is officer…"

She cut him off. "Did you find her?"

"No." He said, making her heart skip a beat for the millionth time that day. "But we do have a lead. Her jacket was discovered under a bridge in Central Park. So, now that we have her scent, the police dogs are on the job."

"Please…"

"We will locate your daughter, Mrs. Hudson." Officer Lutz promised. "You have my word."

"Thank you." She hung up the phone, sinking back down into the cushion she resided on. "They found Jillian's coat in Central Park. But there were no ther signs of her nearby."

"Well, at least they have something to follow now." Burt stated.

"Listen..." Carole started, giving Rachel's knee a gentle squeeze as she looked to her sleep deprived and paranoid daughter-in-law. "Why don't we all try getting some very much needed rest, ok? Sitting up and waiting all hours isn't healthy."

"Ok." Rachel had agreed, and everyone left for their own homes, demanding a call, no matter what time it was, if they heard anything new. And it was around 2 in the morning when they got it. "Rachel Hudson speaking..." She listened to the other end of the line carefully before turning to face her husband, who was now up as well. "They need us down at the station."

Both of them jumped out of bed, getting their shoes on as fast as they could, and flew into the city. Both hopping out of the car before it came to a complete stop.

"Where is she? Where's my Jillian?" Rachel asked, running into the building and up to the front desk.

The lady typing on the computer, smiled, standing up. "I'll bring her out." Returning from another room, she carried their cold and dirty 4 year old in her arms.

"Mommy." Jill cried. "Daddy."

"Jill!" She clung to her daughter, kissing her cheek vigourously. "You are to never do something like this again, do you hear me?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry."

"We're so glad you're alright, sweetheart." Finn said. "You have no idea."

"Really?" She questioned. "But... You don't love me anymore."

"No, Jilly bean. We love you." He took their oldest child off of his wife and held her closer to his own chest. "We love you so much."

Officer Lutz then came out of his office, another cases file in hand. "I see that you've been successfully reunited. Congratulations."

"I can't thank you enough." Rachel cried. "For everything."

"It was no problem." He replied. "I would say though, she got one big adventure."

"I believe it." Finn shook the other man's hand, thanking him once more, before they drove back home. They figured that she must be very tired. And hungry. So, after a nice warm bath and a quick bowl of soup, they tucked her under her cozy sheets. "Are you warm enough?"

"Yes, daddy."

"And you're sure that you don't want anything else to eat?"

"Yes, mommy!" Jillian giggled.

Rachel made herself comfortable on the edge of the small matress, pulling her fingers through the little girl's brown, curly locks. "You know, you really scared us, Jillian."

"Yeah, honey." Finn cut in. "You can't pull stunts like this."

"But I was so mad!" She exclaimed. "You never play with me anymore. Only Chrissy. And I get lonely."

"Baby, you have to understand that Christopher can't do the things that you can by yourself. He needs help from us with everything. He needs all of that attention right now."

"And we don't mean to make you feel ignored." Rachel cooed. "But if ever there is a time that we do again, and you're upset, tell us."

"No more running away."

"Ok." She yawned, wrapping her arms around Finchel. "I love you mommy and daddy."

''Goodnight." They smiled. "We love you too."


	7. THE WEDDING

"Ok, diva, here's the plan…" Mercedes started, taking a drink of her Evian. "I have another dress fitting on Friday. Plus, I have to meet with the caterer and the florist later on in the day. So, we have to catch our flight back to Ohio early that morning…"

"Wait..." Rachel interrupted. "_We_?" She questioned, receiving a nod in response. "No way."

"What do you mean _no_?"

"Cedes, you know that I can't just pick up and leave like that. Not on such short notice."

"Rachel, you are my maid of honor. You have to!"

"May I remind you that I have 3 kids at home to take care of? Two of them only being toddlers, while the other is still considered to be a newborn." The petite brunette went on. "Finn doesn't need all of that responsibility dropped on his shoulders right now. Especially with work every day."

"But you have to come!" Mercedes pleaded. "This is really important."

"I would if I could, Mercedes."

Mercedes set her cup down on the table, getting ready to make a suggestion. "Why don't you bring the girls with you?"

"Um…" She hesitated, thinking about it. "I don't know if that is such a great idea…"

"Why not? They would have fun on the trip." She said. "And I'm sure that Jillian would love to try on her dress. My mom stopped by the bridal store a couple of days ago and got it."

"Before I make any decisions, this is something to discuss with Finn."

"Fine." Mercedes nodded again. "But I bet he won't need any convincing. He'll probably be totally cool with it though."

"We'll see." Rachel stated, standing up and pushing her chair in. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Tell Finn that I love him."

"Will do." She laughed, walking out of the small café. "Bye, Mercedes." Stepping out onto the chilly, city street, she called for a cab and rode home for the night. When she got back, she was surprised to see that her husband had already put the kids to bed and was now waiting up on the couch, watching some TV. "Hey, sorry I'm so late, honey." She plopped herself down next to him. "We got a little caught up."

"No problem." Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "Did you enjoy your coffee?"

"Yeah. But now, I have to talk to you about something."

"Alright, what's up?"

"Well today, Mercedes asked me to fly back to Lima with her at the end of the week. She needs help with wedding stuff, but I told her that I would have to check with you first."

He nodded. "I don't mind, it's just that, my schedule has been kind of crazy and there's nobody around here that would be willing to keep an eye on the kids while I'm at football."

"Quinn."

"Quinn already has her hands pretty full with the Puckerman clan, so I doubt that she would ever want to have to handle 3 more."

"You're right. But I was thinking about bringing Jillian with me. Since she is the flower girl after all." She said. "So then, there would only be 2 more."

"I mean, I guess it's worth giving her a call…"

"I'll get right on that." She pulled her phone from her pocket, dialing up her best friend, who, of course, had said yes. Which Mercedes was thrilled to hear.

"You guys have everything?" Finn asked on the morning of their departure, as he strode down the driveway. "Clothes, shoes… Umbrella?" He laughed.

"Yup." Rachel answered, lifting her luggage into the trunk of Donavan's car. "And you found the guide I made for you, right? All the doctor's numbers are on their, along with the kid's medications, just in case something happens. And don't forget to go grocery shopping either today or tomorrow. I don't want my 2 year old to starve." She explained. "Oh! And I also left a list of chores for you to do on the kitchen counter. This house looks nice now, so it better look nice when we return."

"You got it, babe."

"And _do not_ forget to pick our children up after practice, Finn. They…"

"Rach, relax. It's not like I'm some stranger, just coming into their lives yesterday. I'm their dad, been here since day one, and I think I know everything I need to."

Just then, Mercedes honked the horn, telling them to hurry.

She took a deep breath. "Keep in touch, ok?"

"I plan on it." He shifted Payton's weight over to the other hip and opened her door. "You call me as soon as you land. And you…" He turned to his four year old, who was hooked up in the backseat, and pointed his finger in her direction through the open window. "Bring me back a souvenir."

Jillian giggled. "Love you, daddy."

"Love you too, Jilly bean."

"Finn!" Mercedes yelled. "We have got to go."

"Sorry. I'm sorry." He chuckled, holding his free hand up in defense, as Rachel said her last goodbye's to Payton.

"Be a good girl. Mommy will be back soon, alright?" She placed a gentle kiss on her daughter's cheek before bending over to see Christopher, who was sleeping peacefully in his carrier, in the grass. "Oh, and I am really gonna miss you, buddy."

"Rachel!" Mercedes screeched. "I am not going to warn you again."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Rachel stood up fast, hugging Payton and kissing Finn on the lips. "I love you all so much. And I'll see you in 2 days." She slipped into her own seat and shut the door. "Bye." Waving as they drove off into the distance.

The 3 of them, expecting to arrive late, actually made it to the airport, where they were to meet up with Kurt, with time to spare. So, they located a diner and ate breakfast together after going through security.

"Order whatever you guys want." Mercedes demanded, reading the menu. "It's on me."

"Oh, no, Mercedes. You don't have to do that." Rachel set her purse down next to her in their booth before pulling a very tired Jillian onto her lap. "If anything, I should be treating you. You're the bride."

"Listen, I am the one who practically forced you to come with me. This is the least I can do."

"Alright, fine. Anything looking yummy, Jilly?" She asked her oldest daughter, rubbing tiny circles on her back. 'They have Strawberry milk. Do you want a glass of that?"

Jill nodded, slumping in her mother's lap.

"Wake up, little diva."

"This is something she inherited from her father." Rachel stated, running her fingers through her long brown locks. "He absolutely hates getting up before the sun. It's horrible."

Mercedes began laughing just as a waiter came over to their table and took the orders. Both of them got something as simple as a fruit salad to start off their day.

"So… How excited are you? Only a little over a week left."

"I'm super duper pumped. But also, very nervous."

"That's natural." Rachel informed her. "Everyone gets butterflies on their wedding day."

"I remember one Rachel Berry did."

"Oh, yes." She nodded. "I couldn't even walk down the aisle."

"And Finn wasn't much better."

"Oh, no." She shook her head. "He fainted."

"What a pair."

She giggled. "I know, right?"

"I guess you can say the thing that has me worried most at this point, is the future." Mercedes admitted. "I just want the love to last, ya know? Stay strong. I don't want to end up heartbroken again, getting a divorce."

"You're not doubting your feelings toward each other…"

She shrugged. "It all just seems too good to be true."

"I know how you feel. Heck, I _felt _what you feel." Rachel replied. "And to be honest, it's kind of intimidating. But we can't predict the future, Cedes. We don't know what's going to happen. And you can't just skip over these life experiences because you're scared of how they will play out, or if they're even _real _for that matter. Because some of them might turn out to be." She smiled to herself. "Just look at me and Finn. We have 3 kids now that we adore more than anything else in the world, still so happy. And yes, we do have our fights and silly debacles, but I would die and kill for that man anytime. He's just the missing piece, completing my heart, to everything."

"You're right. And that is exactly how I feel about Donnie." Mercedes stated. "So, I am going to be his wife in a week. And our marriage is going to be filled with nothing but joy, and we are going to have kids. Be a family and live the perfect life!"

Rachel giggled, nodding in agreement. "I believe so."

***BREAK***

"Alright. So, your final dress fitting is to get done first, and the appointment is at 10, leaving us with…" Kurt put his carryon down, looking at his wrist watch. "Twenty minutes to get there."

"I can't believe that our flight was delayed." Rachel, rolling her bag behind her as she carried a napping Jill on the opposite hip, sprinted toward the main entrance of the building.

"Don't they understand that some people might have an important event to get to?" Mercedes shouted angrily, maybe a bit louder than she should have. "Now, I am going to be late!"

"I'll go get us a shuttle." Kurt said, going up to a lady working at a front desk.

"Mercedes, what time did you say we have to meet Donavan?" Rachel asked.

"Well, he has to pick his best man up from the airport at around 4 o'clock so…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure who the guy is, but apparently, they went to college together and had been roommates for a few years after."

"What's his name?"

"I don't even know that much. All Donavan has told me is that the dude is a real gentleman." She said. "But anyways, he text me the address to this fancy, new restaurant downtown, and we're going to meet there at 6."

"Sounds like a plan."

Kurt then came skipping back over, money to pay their driver in hand. "Our ride's here, ladies!"

"Finally." Mercedes sighed. "Let's go!"

Disaster struck when they got to the fitting, Mercedes dress being too tight to even zip, which resulted in a panic attack from Kurt and the room being filled with loud sobs from both the mother and the bride to be. Rachel had tried to step in and help, but just got screamed at and found herself in the corner, trying to get comfortable on a large futon.

"Mommy?" Jillian, sitting content on her lap, questioned, as she played on her mother's phone. "Why's Aunty Cedes crying?"

"I'm afraid her dress doesn't fit quite right. The tailors mixed up her measurements."

"I don't want her to be sad."

"I know." She cooed. "But don't you worry your cute little butt off. They'll have it fixed in no…" She was cut off by the sound of her phone ringing. Looking down at the caller I.D, she gasped. "Oh, shoot!" She answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Forget something?"

"I'm sorry, Finn. I didn't call."

"It's ok. It's not like I was overly worried and pacing the floor or anything…"

She chuckled. "Our flight was delayed and we landed later than we were supposed to, so we only had a few minutes to get to her dress fitting."

"I understand." He stated. "So, how is it going?"

"Not so fantastic, actually."

"Oh, no." He whispered. "What happened?"

"Mercedes dress is too small."

"Too small? Wasn't she on that weird diet that all brides go on before their wedding though?"

"Yeah, I…"

"Rachel!" Mercedes snapped. "You're not here to talk on the phone. You're here to help me for goodness sake!"

"Hold on a second, babe." She handed her phone back to Jillian before tending to her stressed out friend.

"Hi, daddy!" Jill was very talented at keeping someone entertained. She made really cool sound effects and never forgot a single detail when telling a story. "Guess what happened on the plane?"

"Mercedes, I don't hear you asking for any help." Rachel continued. "And when I made an attempt to on my own, you told me to back off."

"Well, now I am." She spat, glaring. "So, get off the darn phone!"

"What do you need, Mercedes?"

"The dress needs to be altered, obviously. And it is going to take awhile." Kurt explained. "So, we are sending you out to the florist. Mercedes wants green Hellebores."

"The type of the flower that only come around during the holidays?"

"Rachel, I don't care that they are not in season. They are what I want!" Mercedes yelled. "And you will do whatever you have to, to get me them."

"I'll try. But seeing as you're only giving them a week's notice, don't get your hopes up."

"Oh, Rachel dear, can you please order the cake too, while you're out?" Mrs. Jones asked. "I have a picture of what we want it to look like, and the bakery is right across the street, so it shouldn't be too difficult."

"Sure." Collecting the papers from the older woman, she slipped back into her coat and reached for the door.

"Mommy!" Jillian whined, hanging up on her father before running over to her mother. "Don't leave me."

"I won't be gone that long, honey. I promise."

"I want to go with you."

"Well, alright." She took the little girl's coat off the rack and knelt in front of her, helping her button it up. "But you're going to be bored, Jilly bean."

"No, I won't." She said. "Hey, can we get some ice cream?"

"Maybe later, ok?"

The 4 year old nodded, gripping onto her mom's hand as they crossed the street. "You know what, mommy?"

"What?"

"I really love you."

Rachel smiled. "I love you too, kiddo."

They stepped off of the sidewalk, entering the bakery, and were immediately greeted by a middle aged man. Rachel handed him the picture, mentioning the slight changes that needed to be made. Such as, the names and color. Then she told him that it must be delivered to the Lima Community Church by 2 o'clock. He nodded, taking it back into the kitchen.

"Ariel! Mommy, look." Jillian's eyes lit up at the sight of a big cookie, just sitting on a shelf behind one of the display windows. "It has princess Ariel on it!"

"Wow, that is one big cookie. I don't think you'd ever be able to eat all of that."

"Yeah, I can."

"You think so?"

"I'm a big girl, member? So, I can eat a big cookie."

Rachel laughed, buying her the cookie, as well as something sweet for herself to munch on.

"You got a cupcake?" Jillian questioned curiously, sitting down at a table next to the window.

She nodded, taking a bite. "They're my favorite."

"Is that why daddy always brings you one home?"

She nodded again. "When we used to go to school, on the days that I was sick or not myself, he would always surprise me with a cupcake to make me feel better."

"What's your favorite color to eat?"

"I like every color. But prefer the pink." She answered. "Because they're Strawberry and taste so good!"

"I love Strawberry too! We're the same." Jill said, making them both giggle. "Mommy, I'm glad I'm like you. Because if I was like daddy, I would act like a boy."

"No you wouldn't, sweetie." Rachel chuckled. "You're already a lot like daddy."

"How?"

"Well, you both insist on giving me a hard time waking up in the morning. And both of you hate helping me clean up your messes around the house."

"Oh, and we both like blue! And monkeys."

"Right. And Pizza."

"Yeah. I _am_ a lot like daddy." Jillian giggled. "We can be twins!" She finished up her cookie, leaving all the red icing from Ariel's hair on her face, and the green from her tail stained her fingers. Her mom couldn't resist taking a quick picture, so she struck her best princess pose before sending it to her dad and washing herself clean.

"Are you ready to head out now, Jilly?" Rachel asked. "We still have to stop by the flower shop."

"Yeah. But mommy?" She fought with the door, trying to push it open, but it was just too heavy for her puny muscles. So, Rachel assisted her. "Can I pick something out for daddy?"

"Before we go back to New York, ok?"

"Okey dokey."

Their next destination was only a few blocks down, and Rachel was hoping to get in and out. But that was nearly impossible with the line being so long.

"Do you like flowers, mommy?"

"Yes, I do. Very much." Rachel replied. "And do you like asking so many questions?"

A confused look spread across Jill's face. "What?"

"Never mind. " She laughed.

"What kind of flowers do you like?"

"Roses."

"Are they the kind daddy always gives you after you sing on the stage?"

"Yup. And they are also the kind that we used in our wedding."

"I don't member."

"That's because you weren't even born yet, silly goose."

"Why not?"

"Because your daddy and I want to wait a little while longer before we had you."

"Oh." Then came the question that all parents tried to avoid. "Mommy, where do babies come from?"

"Um…" Rachel was lost for words. "Ask your father."

Fortunately, by this time, they had reached the counter and were ready to be taken care of.

"Hi, what can I get for you today?" The teenage boy asked.

"Hello. I need to place an order for a dozen light green Hellebores."

"We don't carry them at this time of year, madam."

"I understand that." Rachel said. "But one of my closest friends is getting married next week, and she would really love for them to be in her bouquet."

"In order for us to even _try _to get a hold of them in time, you would have had to place the order months ago."

"She is a very "last minute" type of person."

"I'm sorry. We just can't help you."

She sighed, growing aggravated and impatient. "Alight listen, buddy. I need those flowers. And I will do whatever it takes to get them. Mercedes is counting on me and I am not going to let her down. So, if you don't get me those darn Hellebores, I will kick your…"

"Ok, ok!" He held his hands up in defense. "Mrs.…"

"Hudson."

He nodded. "Mrs. Hudson, we will get you those flowers." He nervously backed away. "Heck, we'll even throw in free delivery to the church!"

"Awesome!" She clapped her hands together. "The ceremony will be held at the Lima Community on St. Patrick's Day. 2 o'clock sharp." She smiled. "Don't be late."

"Don't plan on it." He whispered, returning the smile. "You have a nice day now, Mrs. Hudson."

"You too!" She walked back out of the shop, feeling powerful. "Well, that was easier than I thought."

***BREAK***

"So, everything's done?" Kurt questioned as they sat down to eat their meal at Alimentaire Des Reve. "The flowers?"

"Yes, everything is taken care of." Rachel answered. "Even the flowers."

"Good girl."

"Ugh, where the heck is Donavan?" An anxious Mercedes asked herself. "It's already 6:15."

"He's probably just stuck in traffic." He comforted, squeezing her knee.

Mercedes continued to look around for him, smiling when she noticed him step through the door. "Oh, there he is."

"And there's… Oh my god." Kurt gasped in shock when he spotted the other man walking in behind him. "Is that…"

Rachel turned in her seat to see who it was, and her mouth dropped. "Jesse?"

Mercedes shot a nasty glare at her fiancé before sighing. "Well, this is going to be a very interesting night."

Right she was. Dinner was _very_ interesting. Rachel had somehow gotten stuck sitting next to Jesse, who kept trying to hold hands with her, which made her uncomfortable. Kurt noticed this and offered to switch seats, but even from across the table, his feet still managed to find hers underneath while he also watched her every move. And to top all that off, he was her only ride home.

"Can I walk you to the door, Rach?"

"No." Rachel quickly climbed out of his car. "And don't call me that!" She yelled, slamming the door before making her way up the Hummel driveway.

"Rachel, wait!" Jesse ran up the sidewalk, meeting her on the porch.

"Jesse, just get away." She demanded. "I don't like you near me. I don't like you talking to me… Heck, I don't like _you_ in general."

"I have a great deal of respect for women, so I…"

"Oh, you do, do you?" She questioned. "I must have forgotten when you crushed that egg on my head."

"I…"

"And let's not forget what you did to me junior year."

"What _I_ did to _you_?" He asked. "I did nothing! You're the one who decided to leave me for the Flynn dude."

"His name is Finn, you jerk." She stepped into the house as he muttered a quiet "whatever", and then went to close the door, but he stuck his hand out and stopped it.

"I still love you."

"That's fantastic!" She shouted sarcastically, then frowned. "I still hate you."

"I don't believe that."

"I'm married!" Rachel yelled again, shoving her left hand, which displayed the diamond ring, in his face. "To someone else."

"That can easily be rearranged." He stated, moving closer and touching her cheek.

"Mommy?"

Rachel looked toward the staircase to see Jillian, clad in her pink nightgown, and pushed Jesse away fast.

"Who is he?" Jill asked.

"Nobody." She answered. "Just go back to bed, sweethea…"

"Hi. I'm Jesse St. James." Jesse pushed past her and crouched down in front of the little girl, sticking his hand out for a shake. "What's your name?"

"Jillian." The 4 year old replied sweetly.

"Cool beans." He smiled, pointing to the print of princess Jasmine on her sleep wear. "Ya know, I'm a big fan of the princesses too?"

"You are?"

"Yup. Cinderella is my favorite." He admitted. "But I feel so terrible about her losing her shoe."

"Don't worry, Jesse. She finds it. Then, her and the prince live happily ever after!"

"Ok!" Rachel cut back in. "Jesse has got to go now."

"Aww, he does?" Jillian said sadly.

"Yes." She grabbed him by the collar, re-opening the front door. "But, unfortunately, we will be seeing him again soon."

"See you later, Jillian." Jesse waved, flying through the doorway.

Jill returned the gesture. "Bye!"

***BREAK***

To his own surprise, Finn was actually handling everything very well back in New York. The kids were taken care of and having fun, along with the cleaning being kept up on. The only thing he had left to do before his wife returned, was go grocery shopping, which he planned on doing later that day.

"So, Pay." Finn started, entering the living room with Christopher and his warmed bottle in tow. "What movie are we watching tonight?"

"Belle!" Payton yelled, toddling in behind him.

"Oh, geez." He rolled his eyes. "I should have known." He found a spot on the carpet and leaned back against the couch before picking up the remote. With the touch of a button, the beginning credits of Beauty and the Beast appeared on the TV screen. "You and your sister are obsessed."

She giggled, lying down next to him as he adjusted the position of the baby in his arms.

"Alright, buddy." He cooed, feeding his son. "Your turn to eat."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Or not." Removing the bottle from Chris's mouth, which made him cry, Finn stood back up. "I know, you're hungry, bud. I'm sorry."

"Oh, hey, Hudson." Puck came barging in, uninvited, once the door was opened and fell onto the recliner in the corner.

"What are you doing here, man?" He asked, re-shutting the door.

"Just hangin out." He snatched the remote from the coffee table, changing the channel over to a Basketball game.

"Daddy!" Payton whined, on the verge of tears.

"Dude, what the heck? She was watching a movie."

"No, she wasn't."

"Puckerman, she was." Finn stole the remote back, annoyed. He hated when his friend acted like that.

Payton wiped her wet eyes, going back to the cartoon and playing with her blocks.

Ugh, come on. Not you too." Puck grunted. "I came over here to _escape_ the butt heads."

"Bro, that's not right. You can't say that about Quinn. She's your wife."

"Who cares? She's been a real witch to me lately."

"Well, you deserve it. You never watch the kids, or do any of the shopping. She's the one that works to pay for everything… Honestly, I don't understand why she puts up with you."

"Me neither."

"And how many more times do I have to tell you to keep the beer out of the house?" Finn argued.

"Chill. I'm almost done with it." Puck stated. "Since when did you become such a protective, family man?"

"Hmmm… Let's see. When I became a dad!"

"I'm a dad."

"Yeah, and right now, you aren't being a very good one. That, and husband."

"Berry changed you, man."

"No, I went through this thing called "growing up"." Finn corrected. "We're not in high school anymore, dude."

"Oh, I wish I could be that young again!" Puck cheered. "And I know that you do too."

"No, actually. I am happy with my life."

"You seriously like changing diapers all day and watching The Princess and her freaking Frog?"

"This is Beauty and the Beast…"

"Man the heck up!" Puck demanded. 'Listen, I know you want to have some fun."

He nodded. "I will admit, I do miss spending the night at a bar every now and then, but…"

"Yes! That is why we are going to throw a party."

"What are you crazy? No, we can't throw a party!" Finn said. "Do you even know how dead we would be if we did? Rach would shoot me!"

"Rachel and Quinn will never know." He smirked. "We can ship your kids over to a neighbors place, Sam knows a hot band, and we can invite the team. It will be a blast!"

"No way, Puckerman."

"It won't cost you a dime."

Finn shook his head, putting Christopher in his playpen.

"Dude, let loose a little, will ya?"

He stopped to think about it, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine." He sighed. "But it can't get too out of control."

Puck fist pumped with excitement. "I can guarantee you, it won't."

***BREAK***

"Puck, this party is way out of control!" Finn yelled over the loud music.

"Bro, I have no idea what you're talking about." His dancing friend replied. "This party is off the hook!"

"We need to get all of these people out now!" He stated. "This place is packed and irreplaceable things are getting broken. Plus, complaints are being made."

"Good luck with that, dude." Puck gave him a pat on the shoulder before running off in the other direction screaming.

Finn sighed, squeezing his eyes shut, and pretending that he did not just see Tom Price smash his wife's favorite vase… He was going to have a lot to clean up before Rachel came home.

Little did he know, he had fewer time to do so than he thought. For she was just down the street, riding in the back of Donavan's car with Jillian. And when she saw what was going on, she flipped.

"Oh, go get em, girl." Mercedes said as she slipped out of the vehicle and stormed into the jumpin house.

"Come here, Jilly." She took her daughter in her arms, preventing her from being trampled by the wild footballers. "Puck, where is Finn?"

Puck turned away from the group of guys he was chatting with, his eyes widening. "Whoa, Berry. You're not supposed to be here."

"Noah!"

"I wish I knew." He said. "I'd tell him to crank up the base!"

She grunted, stomping up to the stereo and unplugging it. The room immediately grew quiet as the band stopped rocking out. "What is going on here?" She questioned, swinging the chord back and forth. "Finn Hudson, show yourself!"

The crowd slowly separated before her, and he soon came face to face with his furious wife. "I can explain."

"Oh, you better, Mr." Rachel gripped onto his shirt, dragging him up the stairs and into their bedroom, which had been off limits, along with the kid's rooms and the computer/ playroom. "How could you do this?" She set Jill down on the safe armchair.

"I'm so…"

"And where are Payton and Christopher?" She asked. "Do you even know?"

"Of course!" He answered. "They're fine. They're with Blaine."

"Blaine agreed to take them so that you could throw a party?"

"H-He doesn't know…"

She shook her head in disgust, picking Jillian back up and heading for the door. "I cannot believe you!"

He followed her out. "Babe, where are you going?"

"To go get my kids. Ya know, the ones that _you _were _supposed_ to be keeping an eye on."

"Rach, I can't tell you how sorry I am. It was all Puckerman's idea!" Finn pleaded. "And you came home early."

"Whether I came home early or stayed in Lima another week shouldn't matter. This house should have been under control. Not filled with your football team and friends! I trusted you, Finn."

"You still can!"

"Really? After coming home to this?" Rachel dug through her purse for her keys, then buckled Jill into their Escalade. "You're nothing but irresponsible, Finn."

"But I am."

"No…" Rachel crawled into the driver's seat, ready to leave, but hesitated to slam the door. "I want this place spotless by tomorrow morning. And be sure to pass this message on to Puck… Quinn will be notified about this. So, he better be prepared and ready to explain himself." She backed out of the driveway as Jillian blew him a kiss goodbye, and he trudged back into the house, full of shame.

"This party is over!" He yelled. "I want everybody out! Now."

"Oh, come on…"

"No, Puck. This was a complete disaster and it should have never happened. So, just go." Finn went into the kitchen, grabbing a couple garbage bags to tighty things up as everyone gathered their belongings. Waiting until they all left to get on the job, he didn't get to bed until 6 in the morning. Dreaming about how Rachel planned to kill him.

***BREAK***

Rachel sat at the kitchen table later that week, just going over some last minute wedding plans. For the Hudson's were driving back to Lima the next day, and still, Mercedes needed help getting so much done.

"Mommy..." Jillian skipped in, sucking on a lollipop. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing much." Rachel sighed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. "What are _you_ doing?"

"I _was_ watching The Lion King with daddy, but now it's over. So, I came to see you!"

"Well, since you're in here, would you like to help me?"

"Yeah." She nodded, climbing up onto the chair next to her mother. "What do I do?"

"Count how many people are on this list, please." Rachel slid the guest list over to her, knowing that she would probably have to double check her numbers later. "Can you do that?"

"This is baby stuff!" She exclaimed, immediately getting to work as her mother laughed.

Just then, Finn walked in, opening the fridge in search for a late night snack. "Hey, girls."

"Hi, daddy!"

He waited for his wife to reply, but got no response. That was to be expected though. Seeing as, she had been ignoring him for the past 4 days. Ever since the party, she refuses to even look at him.

"Stuff for the wedding?" He tried asking.

Rachel lifted her "#1 mommy" mug to her mouth, drinking her coffee and not acknowledging his presence.

It was his turn to sigh, leaning against the counter. "Come on, Rach, talk to me."

"I have nothing to say to you, Finn." She spoke dryly.

"How about "_I forgive you_"?"

"When I was raised, my dad's taught me to never lie."

"You're seriously still mad at me?"

"She nodded, keeping her eyes on her papers. "I am seriously still mad at you."

"Why? I told you that I was really sorry, and I can't possibly say it anymore."

"Good." She said, standing up and gathering her things. "Because I don't want to hear it." He just didn't understand how much her feelings had been hurt. When he explained to her that he only threw the party to insert some fun into his boring life… Was she not enough to make him happy?

***BREAK***

Jesse freaking St. James was there, at the wedding. And he was practically glued to Rachel's hip the entire afternoon, something which Finn was not too thrilled about.

"Rachel." He took hold of her hand, pulling her away from the rest of the bridal party so that they could talk privately. "You knew that he was going to be here. That jerk. And you didn't have the courtesy to tell me?"

"Finn, let's not discuss this here." She whispered.

"No. We are going to talk about this right now, whether you like it or not." He stated. "You get angry with me for throwing a stupid party, but then expect me to be totally fine with you purposely keeping the fact that your creepy ex would be here, a secret?"

"Well, it's not like I could do anything about it!" She argued. "He's Donavan's best man."

"You still should have informed me."

"I didn't bring up the subject because I knew you'd react like this."

"Of course I would! I hate the dude!" He yelled. "And I don't want him anywhere near you."

"Neither do I." She admitted. "That's why I am and have been trying to avoid him. Now, stop making such a big deal out of this. You're causing a scene."

"I am not causing a…"

"Rachel…" Jesse interrupted, draping his arm over her shoulders and leading her away. "It's time to do the number."

"Wait… What?" Rachel questioned, really confused. "Jesse, what are you doing?"

"The bride and groom have requested that the maid of honor perform a duet before dinner."

"They did?" She asked. "But nobody told me… I don't have anything prepared."

"That's ok." He said, handing her a microphone. "Mercedes already picked out a song."

"Which one are we…" She was cut off by the opening notes of "Faithfully" blasting through the speakers. Not knowing what to do at first, she decided to just sing, knowing that it was what her friend wanted. And everyone should be spoiled on their wedding day.

"You are such an a…" Finn went to give Jesse a piece of his mind after the performance, but the curly haired man backed away before he could.

"Whoa! Relax, Frankenteen. Don't punch this face." Jesse held his hands up in defense. "Rachel chose the song. And she forced me to do it with her. Said it was perfect for our relationship and where we stand." He explained. "I was against it, because I know what that song means to you. It's yours. But she insisted…"

He shoved the jerk before storming away, going straight up to Rachel, who had just opened her mouth to shout at Mercedes. "Is this your way of getting back at me? That is our song, Rachel."

"I know." She shook her head in disbelief, turning toward the woman in white. "Mercedes, how dare you select that piece?"

"What are you talking about, Berry? I didn't even know that you guys were singing." Mercedes said. "I thought it was a gift."

"Jesse told me that _you_ were the one who picked the song, because it was perfect for "where you stand" and your "relationship"." Finn growled.

"No. I am not associated with Jesse at all." She exclaimed. "And he told me that you would prefer the maid of honor and best man do a number together. I was being nice."

"I am so lost." Kurt announced, and Blaine nodded in agreement.

"So, he went behind our backs and lied." Donavan stated. "To everyone."

"I apologize for blaming you, Cedes. " Rachel sighed. "This is just such a disaster. A huge misunderstanding."

"On a happy note…" Quinn started. "Puckerman paid for us to go to couples counseling and fix all of our little debacles. He's finally stepping up! But, I'm not going to question it."

The small group laughed at the blonde as Rachel spotted Jesse leaving out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll be right back." Sprinting out of the hall, she grabbed him by the arm and spun him around. "Hey!" She yelled, catching his attention. "Are you proud of yourself?"

"Please…" Shaking his head. "Rachel, I love you." He blurted.

"Shut up." She muttered.

"No. You belong with me." He pleaded, taking her hands. "We're meant to be. You won't let yourself believe it, but we are."

"Stop it." Rachel tried to pull away, but his grip on her was too tight.

"Don't deny our love, babe." He cooed. "We can start our own family."

Tears weld up at the corners of her eyes. "Jesse, let go of me!"

"Yo, dude." Finn came to the rescue, pushing Rachel behind him with just enough time to block Jesse's punch and crack him back in the nose, which made him fall to the ground. "Back off." Nobody touched his lady. "You alright, Rach?"

"Yes." She nodded. "But Finn, I'm so, so sorry."

"Shhh. I know, sweetheart." He held her close, rubbing gentle circles on her back. "And I'm sorry. For everything." He whispered, kissing her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too." She sniffled. "And I hate when we fight."

"I do too. But it's healthy." Finn chuckled. "Now, the reception is almost over. So, if you don't mind…" He bowed down, sticking his hand out for her to take. "May I have this dance, Mrs. Hudson?"

"Yes." Rachel giggled, before intertwining their fingers together and joining him under the disco ball.

***BREAK***

"So, how does it feel to be married?" Carole asked, setting a fresh batch of cookies and a tray of hot chocolate down on the ottoman in her living room. She had made some snacks, for everyone met up at her home afterwords.

"Fantastic!" Mercedes squeezed her new husbands hand, smiling.

"Now, the next step is having a few kids." Burt joked.

"Can we just get through the honeymoon first?" Donnie questioned.

Everyone laughed.

"Where are you guys going to go?" A curious Kristen sat down across from the newlyweds.

"Well, after all Mercedes begging, I gave in and purchased tickets to Jamaica."

"Oh, I bet Mercedes is excited." Quinn chuckled.

Mercedes nodded. "You have no idea!"

Just then, the doorbell rang and Rachel was the first to jump up, moving a sleepy Payton to her hip.

"I'll get it." She said, opening the door to find Jesse standing there, hands in his jean pockets.

"I'd like to have another shot at this. If you don't mind."

She snuck a peek back into the house to see that everyone had carried on with their conversation, so she stepped outside with her daughter and shut the door behind her. "What do you want, Jesse?"

"Look, before you start yelling at me and freaking out, I'm sorry." He mumbled, staring down at his feet. "I acted like a complete jerk."

"Yeah. You did."

"It's just that, you were my first love. And I can't just let that go."

"Jesse, there is someone special out there in the world for everyone. For you too… But it's not me. I am in love with Finn."

"I understand." He nodded, turning to walk away.

"Wait, Jesse." She stopped him. "We might not have ended up loving each other romantically, but I think that if you weren't so rude and ignorant all of the time, we could have ended up loving each other as friends."

"We do have a lot in common, don't we?"

"Yeah. So, don't be afraid to keep in touch."

"I will."

"And if you're ever in New York, look me up. We can go see a Broadway show or something."

Jesse chuckled. "Goodbye, Rachel."

"Bye, Jesse." She watched him leave as Payton waved, before she went back inside.

"Who was that?" Finn asked, wrapping his arm around her.

She smiled to herself. "Just a new friend."


	8. SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

"Babe…" Rachel slid out of the car, slinging her purse over her shoulder before shutting the car door. "You are going to do great today." She stated, moving to unhook her 2 year old daughter. "Stop worrying."

Finn sighed. "It's just that… Everyone is counting on me. They're expecting me to win this." He replied. "And I'm kind of under a lot of pressure, ya know?"

"You aren't the only player on the team, honey."

"I know, but I'm the _quarterback_." Unlocking the trunk, he pulled out the stroller and his gym bag. "If we lose today, it will be all my fault."

"It will not." She lifted Payton from her seat and rested the little girl on her hip, before helping Jillian hop out as well. "Now, stop over thinking this, Finn. You're going to psych yourself out."

"I just don't want to disappoint anybody."

"You won't." She argued. "Keep a positive attitude, dude!"

"_Dude_?" He chuckled at his wife's sudden outburst, turning to remove his son from the Escalade. "Hey, buddy?" He cooed. "Are you ready to see daddy play in your first football game today?"

Christopher began to whine, kicking his tiny legs vigorously, as his father, who had woke him up, lowered him into the stroller.

"No?" He questioned. "Not so much, huh?"

Rachel giggled, picking the diaper bag up off the floor before stepping over to where her husband stood. "He just wants to get some sleep." She bent over, tickling his tummy. "Right, Chrissy?"

"Well, I don't blame him." Finn took Payton, who had been reaching up for him, into his arms and started walking to the stadium with his family. "All he does is cry when we put him to bed at night." He smiled, taking the gummy worm that his daughter was holding in front of his face, in between his teeth. "Oh, thank you, sweetheart. Now, I am energized."

"Alright..." Rachel cut in once they approached the entrance. "We'll see you later." Giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Good luck."

"And remember to have fun, daddy!" Jillian chimed in.

He nodded, setting Payton back down on her feet. "You got it, Jilly bean." He said, pecking her forehead. "Love you."

"Love you too!" She yelled, watching him sprint off into the other direction.

The actual game didn't actually start for another short while, leaving them with plenty of time to waste, because the players had to be there a little early to practice and warm up. So, they decided to make their way upstairs and get comfortable in the party room that had been reserved for them and their guests. And it wasn't long before the Hummel's arrived.

"Hi, Rachel!" Kristen ran over to her sister-in-law, pulling her in for a hug.

"Hello, Kris." She replied. "How are you?"

"Good." She answered. "So excited to see my brother win today."

She nodded in agreement. "I can't believe he made it to the Super bowl again."

"I'm so proud." Carole added, lying all of her bags down on the bar's counter top.

"Oh! What did you bring me, grandma?" Jill asked, skipping over to the older woman.

"What did I bring you?" She questioned. "Well, let's see. I have some fruit salad with homemade dip." She said. "Sound good?"

Jillian nodded.

"And you just can't have a Super bowl party without the Tortilla chips and Salsa." Burt stated.

"Very true." Rachel laughed, opening the refrigerator and putting the snacks away. "Also, I already called and ordered a few boxes of Pizza for half time."

Burt leaned back in his seat, rubbing his stomach. "Yumm..."

"Extra cheese, I hope!" Kristen sat down on one of the many couches, next to her niece and nephew, and that's when she noticed that somebody was missing. "Hey, where's Payton?"

Rachel reacted fast, jumping up and hitting her head off of the freezer door. "What?" Massaging the sore spot, she panicked for a second. But sighed in relief when she found her playing in the hallway. "Payton, what are you doing out here, silly girl?" Bouncing her upside down, which made the toddler giggle hysterically; she carried her daughter back into the room. "You scared mommy."

"Stay in here with us, honey." Carole cooed. "We don't want to lose you."

"Yeah." Rachel swayed on her heels, kissing the little girl's brown locks as the 2 year old rested her head upon her mother's shoulder. "That's for sure."

A half an hour later, Kurt, Blaine and Abigail got there, greeting everyone with hugs. And shortly after, the Puckerman's joined them as well.

"Party's here!" Puck yelled, entering.

"You're just in time!" Kurt informed them, finding a seat in front of the flat screen TV with the rest of the boys, while the girls gathered behind the glass, which looked over the entire field.

_"Hello, everyone! And welcome to Super bowl XLVI." _One of the announcer's, Tom, said enthusiastically. _"The Miami Dolphins verses the New York Jets."_

_"Now, it just so happens that these two teams are known to be big rivals, Tom." _Bob cut in._ "Who do you think will take home the title this year?"_

_"Well, Bob… I think that both teams are great. But I'm gonna have to put my money down on the Jets. They've had an amazing season so far."_

_"It's their second Super bowl in 4 years. Can you believe it?"_

_"Quarterback, Finn Hudson, is the one to thank for that." _Tom made the crowd cheer, just at the sound of his name. _"The team was nothing without him, and now they're nothing but good."_

_"Oh, he's probably under so much pressure right now. I can't even imagine." _Bob spoke._ "Everyone is depending on him to bring home the gold."_

"I really hope that Finn can't hear anything they're saying." Rachel sighed. "He's already so apprehensive as it is."

"He'll be fine." Carole comforted. "My son is a pro, and he knows what he's doing."

"I know. It's just that, when he gets nervous, I get nervous." She admitted, moving her gaze down onto the green. "I don't want him to get hurt."

_"And now, entering the field, the Miami Dolphins!" _The fans went wild. _"Led by quarterback, James Kent."_

"Boooo!" Blaine yelled. "You suck!"

"So sorry we're late!" Mercedes ran through the door with Donavan not far behind. Then going their separate ways to watch the game.

"Fashionably late." Quinn corrected.

"You got that right."Mercedes stated. "Have you seen these new boots?"

"Shhh!" The men turned around and warned in unison.

_"And up next, let's all welcome, the New York Jets!" _The room, along with the stands, filled with loud screams and chants. "_Led by quarterback and MVP, Finn Hudson."_

"Yeah!" Donnie clapped. "Go get em, boys."

_"Now, if you would please stand and remove your caps for the Star Spangled Banner."_

"Holy… Is that Taylor Swift?" Noah's eyes grew wide as he stood up to get a better look. "She's still so hot!"

Burt took off his fishing hat as Quinn hit her husband with her purse.

"Just shut your mouth and watch, Puckerman!" Mercedes growled.

When the singing ended, Finn slipped back into his helmet and huddled up, clapping his hands together and yelling "break", before splitting up and getting in position for kick-off. He caught the ball, after it soared through the air, and began running. But was quickly tackled to the ground.

The guys grunted. "Ugh!"

"Not the way to start off a game." Kristen sighed.

Half time had eventually rolled around, and the audience was growing anxious. For the game was getting pretty intense, with the score being so close. Miami just ahead, 25-31.

"I don't know what the heck Finn is doing out there." Burt said, sinking his teeth into his pizza. "But he better get it together."

Rachel had total faith in her husband. "He will."

And he did. Finn, by the last few seconds of the third quarter, got rough and brought the score up to a tie. Now, he was fighting for the win. Running back down the field, football tucked tightly under his arm, he went for a touchdown. But before he could reach the end zone, 3 bigger opponents, who had been on his tail, piled on top of him.

Everyone gasped, jumping out of their seats and hoping to see him stand back up. But he wasn't even moving.

"Oh, no." Rachel panicked, squeezing Carole's hand. "Please, get up."

The EMT's sprinted onto the field, their hands full of medical equipment, and the stretcher trailed behind.

"Come on, buddy." Burt whispered. "Pull through."

Puck shook his head in disbelief. "No, Hudson, no."

Rachel closed her eyes, letting her face fall into her palms. But not for long, her attention was pulled right back to the game, when the stadium filled with more cheer.

Finn had gotten up, in a lot of pain. His shoulder killed, and he definitely did some kind of damage to his ankle. Could he still play? He had no clue at this point, in his condition.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled his helmet off and took a drink of his ice cold Gatorade. Sitting down on a bench, he searched the bleachers. They were full of a bunch of crazy people, waving towels and blowing horns, but only one small brunette in particular caught his eye.

"I love you." Rachel mouthed, touching one hand to the glass while she blew him a kiss with the other.

He flashed her a weak smile, catching it and holding it to his heart.

_"Only a few seconds left on the board, folks." _Tom said. _"What is Hudson going to do?"_

Finn bounced back onto his feet, throwing his helmet back on and joining his teammates on the field. It all came down to that final play.

The ball was kicked right into his hands, and everyone started shouting.

"Go, bro!" Kurt yelled.

"Run, honey!"

"Go, babe, go!" Rachel screamed.

"Keep going, dude!"

Finn approached the end zone, reaching out for it, but was clobbered once again. The crowd got quiet, just waiting for the referee's whistle to sound, which it did, resulting in hundreds of confetti bombs and fireworks.

He rolled over, finally noticing where he currently resided. In the end zone.

_"And the Jets win the Super bowl!"_

"Yeah!" Burt, Kurt, Blaine, Donnie, Mercedes and Quinn threw their hands in the air while Puck shook up his soda, then squirted it everywhere.

"That's my husband!" Rachel cried, hugging her mother-in-law.

"And that's my son!"

The group celebrated the victory together, laughing and dancing, until the stadium emptied and Finn was allowed to meet up.

"Payton, get that out of your mouth." Rachel demanded, rolling up the sleeves her 2 year old had been munching on.

"I'm hungwy." She replied innocently.

"Well, don't eat your shirt, goofy!" She chuckled, taking her tiny frame into her embrace. "I'll feed you." As she opened a bag of Doritos, Finn entered the room, and the family broke out into a fit noise again.

"Congratulations!" Quinn and Mercedes hugged him as Burt gave him a pat on the back.

"Oh, Finny…." Carole cooed, kissing his cheek. "I'm so happy for you, baby."

"Thanks, mom."

"Nice work." Kristen fist bumped her brother, giggling.

"Thanks, all of you. For coming." He smiled. "I really appreciate it."

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world, dude." Puck stated.

"Yeah." Jillian agreed, hopping into her dad's arms. "You're my favorite football player."

"Aww." He ruffled her hair. "Thanks, Jilly bean."

"Well, I hate to leave…" Quinn began. "But it's getting late and the kids have school tomorrow."

"Right." It was his turn to nod. "I'll see you guys later, then."

"Congratulations again, Finn." Donavan said. "Next week, we'll all head out to the bar. In honor of the MVP."

Puck fist pumped. "Looking forward to that."

Blaine waved, leading them all through the door. "Alright, bye!"

"Goodnight!" Rachel called after them, getting to work on cleaning up their mess. "So, my husband just won the Super bowl… Should I be proud?"

"I'm not even quite sure how I'm feeling myself, yet." He chuckled, setting his 4 year old back on her feet before sneaking a peek into the stroller. "Has Christopher been out the entire game?"

She nodded, pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

"What was that for?" He whispered.

"I am _so_ proud of you."

"Oh, really?" He questioned, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you."

"Love you too." Rachel smiled, intertwining their fingers together. "Now, let's go home."


	9. REUNITED, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD

It was a beautiful day in New York, the sun shining down brightly on the city as the smell of blooming flowers wafted through the air. Spring was quickly approaching now, Rachel's favorite season, and she didn't want to miss a second of the warm weather. So, she happily volunteered to check the mail that morning, while Finn took his ritual jog around the block.

"Jury Duty." Rachel sighed, making herself comfortable on the nearest stool in the kitchen as she went through her findings. "Bills." She tossed the next few envelopes onto the counter for her husband to deal with. "The Hudson Family." Tearing open the letter, she read over the invite to Jillian's preschool graduation, which was only a month away… Already.

"Hey!" Finn came in from outside, clad in his black basketball shorts and Nike sneakers, and pulled Rachel out of her daze. "What do you got there?" He asked, dropping a sweet kiss upon her lips as he passed by.

She held up the sheet of paper, his eyes moving swiftly across. "Our baby is actually going to kindergarten."

"I still can't grasp it." He said, grabbing an apple out of the refrigerator. "Where did the time go?"

Rachel just shrugged, knowing that she would probably cry if she thought about it too much. So, moving on she reached for the next envelope in the pile and studied the address. It was one that she didn't recognize. "Who is this?"

He sat down beside her. "I have no clue."

"Hmm…" She curiously tore it open and her eyes grew wide in shock. "_Shelby_."

"Excuse me?" He questioned, receiving a slow nod in response. "What does she want?"

"Tea." She answered, confusing him. "After 10 years."

"Why all of a sudden?" He asked. "This doesn't sound good."

She shrugged, standing to make the girls breakfast. Jillian and Payton would be down any minute, starving.

"Wait, you're not thinking about meeting up with her, right?" Finn asked. He wasn't too fond of Rachel's mother and didn't think that reuniting with her was such a brilliant idea.

"I don't know." She answered.

"After all that she's done? Rachel, she abandoned you!"

"But she's my mom, and I've always wanted a relationship with her." She explained. "I believe that she regrets giving me up for adoption and is truly sorry."

Finn sighed. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again." He admitted. "Promise that you'll really think about this before you make a decision."

"I promise."

Just then, Jillian made her way into the kitchen, yawning, and Payton followed behind. Rachel was getting started on their chocolate chip pancakes.

"Good morning." Finn cooed, pulling Payton onto his lap. "How are you guys today?"

"Hungry." Jill replied.

Rachel giggled from her spot at the stove. "I figured."

***BREAK***

Later that night, Rachel emailed Shelby back, agreeing to talk. Finn wasn't thrilled, but he understood and supported her. They made plans to grab lunch the next day, at a small diner in Times Square, so he dropped her off.

"Babe, you have to go in." Finn urged her to take a step forward, growing impatient. "Don't stand her up."

"I'm scared."

"But you don't want to become her either."

"Absolutely not." Rachel took a deep breath to compose herself before hugging him goodbye. "Thank you for waiting."

"I'm going grocery shopping with the kids." He kissed her cheek. "Call if you need me."

She nodded. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

Rachel walked into the building and searched around. There were a lot of people, but Shelby stood out like a sore thumb. She was sitting at a corner table, a cup of coffee in hand.

"Rachel." Shelby smiled. "You're all grown up."

"Yeah."

"Wow, it's been so long. What-"

"A whole decade." Rachel interrupted, making sure that she remembered.

Shelby's face faltered. "Well, you look great."

She turned to flag down a waitress and ordered a glass of water, feeling sad and parched.

"So, what have you been up to?" The older woman asked curiously. "I spotted your name on a billboard in the city and my heart warmed. I'm so proud of you."

"Can we just cut the chase?" Rachel questioned. "Why did you come back?"

Shelby was surprised by her daughter's sudden outburst, but continued. "I missed you."

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes in distaste. "I don't want to hear it."

"Rachel-"

"No. I needed you." Rachel cried. "I needed your help growing up, but you wanted nothing to do with me."

"That's not true." Shelby stated. "I think about you every single day."

She threw her purse over her shoulder and slid out of their booth, preparing for a storm out. "Save it!"

***BREAK***

"Jilly bean, I told you. Mommy gave me a list and I'm sticking to it."

"But you never do!" Jillian whined, shoving a container of Strawberry ice cream in his face. "She won't even know."

Finn put the junk food back on its designated shelf and pushed his cart to the vegetable isle. Jill pouted and followed, stomping her feet.

"Wait a minute." He panicked. "Where is your sister?"

"How am I supposed to know?" The 5 year old growled. "You're in charge."

Finn shot his daughter a glare. They were giving him the hardest time and he felt like ripping his hair out. Payton kept running off (now, he knew what his wife meant when she said that Payton was going through the terrible twos), Christopher was teething and did nothing but scream, and Jillian insisted on being sassy. He was ready to explode.

"Payton?" He caught a glimpse of her pink sneakers sticking out from behind a freezer and charged, capturing her in his arms the best he could with a baby strapped to his chest. "You need to behave!" He warned. "Both of you are in serious need of a time out."

"Daddy, can we get-"

"No."

Jill frowned. "But you don't know what I was going to say."

"The answer is still no."

"Fine." She huffed.

They got through the rest of their shopping trip in peace. Christopher calmed down once he found something to suck on, Payton tired herself out and Jillian's mood changed drastically when she saw that Rachel put cookies on the list. Finally, Finn could hear himself think.

"Sit still, buddy." Finn chuckled, trying to buckle a squirming Christopher in his car seat. "I can't-"His phone started ringing and Rachel's song filled the air, so he rushed to pick up. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Can you come and get me now?" She sniffled.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes." He said. "What happened?"

"I just want to go home."

He hopped into the car and pulled out of the parking lot, stepping on the gas.

***BREAK***

Rachel spent the entire morning on the couch, buried underneath a blanket, and Finn was getting really worried. He sent the kids to their uncles' apartment, in hopes of her feeling more comfortable to open up, and he stopped for her favorite tea on the way back, but no such luck. She was just devastated.

"Do you want something to eat, Rach?" Finn asked, reclining beside her.

She shook her head no, starring at the television.

"Another drink?"

"No." She mumbled.

"You can't lay here and watch Funny Girl all day!" He yelled, growing frustrated. "Why won't you just tell me what went down?"

"Because you were right!" Rachel shouted back. "She's playing the same, old tricks."

"Then, forget about her." He comforted. "You don't need her to succeed. Look how far you've gotten."

"I just want to be loved." She sobbed, Finn pulling her close as she did so.

"You are, baby. By Jillian, Payton, and Christopher, by your dads, by my parents, by all of our friends, by me… I love you more than life itself. And you know, I actually have reason to thank Shelby." He said. "She gave me you."

She squeezed him tighter, if that was even possible. "I don't deserve you."

"Don't say stuff like that." He kindly demanded. "Everything will be alright."

Rachel had just begun cooking dinner when the doorbell rang. Jillian and Payton were coloring at the bar with Finn, while Christopher babbled away in his high chair. All was happy, until she answered.

"Shelby." She breathed. "H-How did you get my address?"

"That's not important." Shelby replied. "I just had to find you. We have to make this work."

"I'm sorry." She tried shutting the door, but it was stopped. "I can't get involved again."

"You're uneasy and hesitant."

"Of course!" She admitted. "My own flesh and blood kicked me to the curb."

"What's going on?" Finn came into their view, glaring at Shelby.

"Shelby, this is my husband Finn." Rachel quietly introduces the pair. "I don't know if you remember him, but-"

"He was in the New Directions." Shelby recalled. "Real high school sweethearts."

They nodded and an awkward silence coated the room.

"Just give me another chance." Shelby pleaded. "I didn't how to care for you in the past, but I do now. I'm even willing to move out here. There's nothing keeping me in L.A and Beth would love to live in the city. Puck and Quinn are nearby and she's always wanted a sister."

"You've mentioned me?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, she knows all about you! She-"

"Mommy?" Jillian peered around the corner, running over to where they resided, and Finn took hold of her as if she needed protecting. "The microwave beeped."

"I'll get it." Finn volunteered. "You'll be alright?"

Rachel nodded, flashing him a small smile.

"I have a grandchild?" Shelby whispered in awe.

"3."

She smiled. "I'd like to meet them."

Rachel wasn't one hundred percent trustworthy of her mother, but walls were coming down. "We'll take it slow.


	10. BLAST TO THE PAST

"Hey, Rach, what are you still doing down here?" Finn descended the stairs, walking over to the bar, where his wife still sat. "It's past midnight, ya know?"

Yeah, I know." Rachel replied. "I was just going through some of the boxes we have stored in the attic today, and I found this. So, I decided to take a little look." She stated, opening up the thick, hard covered book.

"Oh my god, that's our family photo album!" He sat down next to her on a stool, leaning over to get a better view.

The very first picture was of them standing in their caps and gowns together, holding their diplomas.

"Do you remember that day?" He asked.

She nodded. "Perfectly."

**(FLASHBACK: GRADUATION DAY)**

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you… Your class of 2012!" Principle Figgins yelled into the microphone, clapping his hands with the rest of the gymnasium._

_All the graduating students jumped for joy, throwing their caps in the air as Rachel pushed through the crowd in search for her boyfriend. She spotted him off in the distance with his family and hers, so she quickly ran over, hopping onto his back._

"_Hey, college boy." She whispered in his ear. "Walk with me?"_

"_Uhhh…" He looked at his mom and step dad talking to the Berry's and nodded, figuring that it would be ok to sneak away for a bit. Nobody would notice anyway. "Yeah, sure."_

_She smiled, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers together before pulling him along. Walking down the hallways of McKinley and ending up in the choir room. For the last time._

"_I'm going to miss this." _

"_Me too." Rachel ran her fingers lightly across the top of the piano, starting to cry. It was all really over. "It's so sad."_

"_What, are you kidding? We're finally getting out of here!" Finn yelled excitedly. "I couldn't be happier."_

"_Did it ever fully occur to you that we won't be together anymore?" She questioned. "I am leaving for New York in 2 months, Finn. And I'm not coming back."_

"_Long distance relationships do sometimes work, Rach. Plus, we'll have holidays, spring breaks…"_

"_We will be exactly… 591.64 miles apart."_

"_And we will work." Finn, pressing their foreheads together, looked straight into her big brown eyes. "I refuse to give up on us that easily."_

"_And you promise you won't forget me while I'm gone?"_

"_How could I, Rachel? I love you. More than anything in the world." He informed her, tucking a chunk of hair behind her ear. "I promise."_

_Rachel looked down at her feet, nodding sadly before she stood on her tippy toes to kiss his lips. "I love you too."_

_A small smile spread across her lips as he took her hand again. "What do you say we head back now? I'm kind of super hungry and…"_

_She giggled. "Figures."_

_They both took one last look at the choir room, the place where they were brought together, before turning and leaving the school. Reservations had been made at breadsticks for dinner at 4 o'clock, so they met their parents there at a corner table in the back._

_Leroy was the first to speak, standing up and tapping on his whine filled glass to get everyone's attention. "First off, I would like to thank the Hudson/ Hummel clan for joining us this evening, and helping us celebrate our children's success. Congratulations, Kurt, Rachel and Finn. You did it!" He chuckled. "And second, Hiram and I would like to let our baby know just how proud we are of her. Honey, you have been nothing but a joy and we love you so much. You are so special. And NYU should be honored to have a girl like you attending their school next year. We wish you the best of luck, sweetheart."_

"_Thanks, daddy." Rachel said._

"_And Burt and I would like to mention how wonderful our two boys are." A very pregnant Carole added. "Kurt will be off at New York's Art Institute while Finn will be attending Ohio State University in the fall. We are so thrilled…"_

"_Wait, mom. About that…" Finn cut in. "I have an announcement to make…. I'm not going to OSU."_

_She gasped. "What?"_

_It grew quiet and all eyes were on him._

"_A couple months back, when I still wasn't sure where I was going or what I was doing with my life, I was so confused. And I felt as if I was just worth nothing at all. But Rachel was there for me. And I soon realized that whatever happens in the future doesn't matter, as long as I'm with her." He explained. "So, I applied to New York University too. And I got in."_

_Rachel was on the verge of tears by that point. "Finn…"_

"_You told me that you're going off to follow your dreams and it wouldn't be fair, I had to follow mine too. And I am. I'm following Rachel Barbra Berry, the love of my life and the one I want to be with forever."_

_She was speechless, just sitting there in shock. "I-I… Love you."_

"_I love you too, Rachel." He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her as tight as he could and now knowing that he would never have to let go. "So much."_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

"I honestly thought that day would be the end of us." Rachel admitted.

"Nah, I wasn't going anywhere." He chuckled.

"Ya know, I still can't believe you lied to me all that time about where you were going to college."

"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise."

"But you know I'm not good with surprises." She stated. "No matter how great they are."

Kissing her temple with a smile, he turned the page to a picture of them together on their first day in the city. She had already been there, but they both couldn't wait for him to arrive.

**(FLASHBACK: REUNITED)**

"_I am exactly 5 minutes away now."_

"_And I am still waiting anxiously." Rachel replied through the phone._

"_I can't wait to see you."_

"_The feeling is mutual, Finn. I miss you so much."_

"_I should have never let you leave early for that silly summer music program." He told her. "A month without you has been complete torture."_

"_Well, you could've came with me."_

"_I know."_

"_How far away are you now?"_

"_About 3 minutes."_

"_Finn, hurry up!"_

"_I'm trying, babe. But we're stuck in that crazy New York traffic you were always telling me about." He stated. "2 minutes."_

"_Oh, you're almost here!"_

"_We just turned onto the right street…" Finn went on. "And Burt just parked the car…" He climbed out of the truck, taking the elevator up to her dorm, which caused them to lose their connection. "Rach? Rachel, can you hear me, babe?"_

"_Finn?" She panicked. "Finn, where are you?" The line went dead just as there was a loud knock on the door. Running after it, she found him standing on the other side with open arms._

"_Can you hear me now?" He questioned._

_Rachel squealed, jumping into his arms and kissing him passionately._

_He smiled. "Good."_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

Finn laughed as he thought back to how mad his mom and Burt had been when he left them in the parking lot to wonder around like idiots, having no idea what Rachel's or his room number was.

"Oh, look!" Rachel cooed, flipping to the next page, which held a picture of them on Bow Bridge in Central Park. "The night you proposed."

"One of the best nights of my life..."

**(FLASHBACK: THE PROPOSAL)**

_"Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday to you." Finn sang, entering their bedroom, where Rachel had still been sleeping. "Happy birthday dear Rachel. Happy birthday to you!" Kneeling down by the side of the bed, he waited for her to sit upright before passing the pink, candle-lit cupcake over to her. "Make a wish, babe."_

_She smiled. "Ya know, technically, it's not my birthday until the clock strikes 9:15 exactly."_

_"Well, I figured, since you're turning 23, it being so big and all, that we must celebrate it all day." He explained, standing back up. "But I can wait."_

_"No." She giggled, grabbing his arm and pulling him back down next to her. "You're such a tease."_

_"I know." He laughed, letting her blow out the candle before she dug in. "So, tonight. I made plans for us. And you need to dress up."_

_"Oh. Where will you be taking me, Mr. Hudson?"_

_"My lips are sealed." Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he rolled to his feet. "It's a surprise."_

_"Finn, you know that I don't like surprises."_

_"Too bad." Finn chuckled, turning to exit the room. "Just be ready by 6."_

_"Wait, where are you going?" She asked curiously._

_"I have to run out and pick something up. I'll be back later."_

_"A gift for the birthday girl, perhaps?"_

_"Maybe…"_

_Rachel watched him leave before falling back onto her pillow with a loud huff. Checking the time on her phone, she jumped right back up and ran for the bathroom. She had to get ready._

_They ended up dining later in the day at Rachel's favorite place in the city, "The Russian Tea Room". She couldn't believe he brought her there, and was so thrilled. They didn't get to go there very often, due to the fact that just the Lobster alone costs more than their apartment. But that wasn't even the best part. The little detour they took home was._

_"Don't you just love the way Central Park looks at night? Especially during Christmas time with all of the lights." She smiled, intertwining their fingers together as they walked. "It's so beautiful."_

_"So are you." He blurted out, causing her to stop and look over at him. "Listen, Rachel. I have to talk to you about something."_

_"Sure." She looked down over the side of the bridge they were currently on, Bow Bridge, their bridge, before fixing her gaze on the bright city off in the distance. "What is it?"_

_Finn took both of her hands in his and rubbed the back of them gently with his thumbs. "I love you. So much."_

_"I love you too." She giggled nervously. "What are you trying to get at here, Finn?"_

_"Um… I guess that I am just trying to say that, you are the most amazing girl I have ever met. You have such a determined personality but yet, you are so kind and caring. And you have such a big heart." He got down on one knee, receiving a loud gasp in response, her hand flying to cover her mouth in shock. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Rachel Barbra Berry. I can't picture spending it with anyone else, only you. So, will you please… Marry me?"_

_"Oh my god."Rachel whispered, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Yes." She nodded. "Yes! Of course, yes!"_

_He smiled, pulling a red velvet box from his jacket pocket, opening it up to reveal the diamond ring before slipping it onto her finger._

_She just stared at, admiring it for a few minutes before hopping into his arms. "Best birthday ever!"_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

The next page was turned.

** (FLASHBACK: FINCHEL WEDDING)**

_Waking to the sound of birds chirping and the sun shining through her window, Rachel smiled. It was the big day. It was finally here._

_"Rise and shine, Miss Berry!" Kurt barged into the bedroom, throwing the sheets off of her legs. "I let you sleep in as long as possible, but now we must get to the church." He explained. "I already stopped by there on my way here, and your groom is being pampered as we speak. Cedes picked up your dress and will be meeting us there, along with Carole, who just left their hotel. And I sent Puckerman out to get the cake earlier this morning, which I am now having second thoughts about, because, well, you know Noah. Quinn should also be here any minute, so hurry up and get out of those hideous pajamas." He sat down next to her, waiting for her to get up and get moving, but she didn't. "Rachel, why aren't you moving your butt?"_

_"Kurt." She whispered. "I'm getting married today."_

_"Yes, yes you are." Kurt stated, taking a sip of his coffee. "I thought we've already been over that?"_

_"Kurt, I'm getting married today!" Rachel yelled enthusiastically, but then her mood quickly changed. "Oh my god. I'm getting married today." She repeated. "I can't do this!"_

_"Whoa! Whoa, calm down there, diva. Take a deep breath." He placed his free hand on her shoulder for comfort. "I thought you loved Finn?"_

_"I do. More than anything."_

_"And you want to marry him, correct?"_

_She nodded._

_"Then what the heck is your problem?"_

_"I don't know, I'm just… So scared."_

_"Rachel, everyone gets butterflies on their Wedding day. It's totally natural." He informed her. "You'll be fine."_

_She nodded once again._

_"And hey, you're already doing better than your husband to be." Kurt chuckled. "He fainted as soon as he spotted the church."_

_"Is he alright?"_

_"Does it matter?" He questioned. "As long as he is awake for when you strut your stuff down that aisle."_

_"Kurt…"_

_"Now, you have 5 minutes to be ready. It's all you're gonna get, so, hurry up." He said, exiting the room. "We'll grab you some breakfast on the way."_

_Rachel sighed. She had no idea how she was supposed to survive the day._

_Meanwhile, at the church, Finn was experiencing a few issues of his own._

_"Dude, stop pacing." Sam growled. "You're making me dizzy."_

_"I can't help it. I'm freaking out here!" Finn yelled. "My tux doesn't fit. It doesn't fit! How am I do you expect me to get married, when I don't even have clothes to wear?"_

_"Honey, relax." Carole said. "It's being taken care of. You have nothing to worry about."_

_"I'm sorry. I'm just… nervous, that's all."_

_Puck laughed. "We can tell."_

_Just then, Burt stepped in with Blaine in tow. "The bride has arrived!"_

_"How is she?" Finn asked._

_"Well, besides the fact that she's crying hysterically.." Blaine answered. "I think she's doing ok."_

_He nodded. "I just hope she doesn't start having second thoughts…"_

_Over in the next room, about an hour or so after, Kurt was just making the final touches on Rachel's make up._

_"Does my hair look ok, Kurt?" _

_"Of course it does. I did it."_

_"What about my dress?"_

_"Rachel, you look beautiful." Carole stated._

_Mercedes nodded in agreement. "Like a princess."_

_"And that dress is absolutely stunning." Quinn added._

_"Thanks, guys." She smiled weakly._

_"Well, you're all done." Kurt backed away from her to get a better view of his masterpiece. "Amazing."_

_There was a soft knock on the door only seconds later, catching everyone's attention. "Just to let you know, Rachel…" Tina spoke. "They're ready when you are."_

_"Ok." She breathed. "I just need a minute alone, please."_

_"You aren't going to do anything stupid, are you?" _

_"No, Kurt." Rachel lied. "Now, go." Waiting until they all left, she closed the door. And locked it._

_Quinn was the one that found her 20 minutes to a half an hour later, when the audience was beginning to get antsy in their seats. So, she ran to get Finn._

_"Quinn, what's going on? Where's Rach?" He questioned._

_"She won't come out of the dressing room." The blonde whispered. "She's locked herself up in there and refuses to open the door for anyone."_

_"What? Why? Is something wrong?"_

_She shrugged. "I don't know."_

_Finn sighed, sprinting toward the back of the church and down a long hallway. "Babe, are you ok in there?"_

_Rachel still sat on the floor with her back against the door, unable to move. "Finn? What are you doing? You should be out there getting married."_

_"Well, I would… But there is nobody to get married to."_

_"Oh, right. Sorry."_

_"Rachel, I'll understand if you don't want to get married to me today. It's a big step, and I'm not about to force you into doing something you aren't ready for."_

_"No, Finn. I do want to marry you. Really. I just needed some time to think. To catch my breath. Because this is all just happening really fast."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yes. I have never been so sure about anything in my entire life." She stated. "I love you."_

_"I love you too."He replied. "Now, will you please come out of there so that we can get this show on the road?"_

_She giggled, wiping away her tears. "Yes. But you have to go away first, you're not allowed to see me."_

_"If I leave, you promise that you won't stay in hiding?"_

_"I promise. I'll meet you at the altar."_

_"Can't wait."_

_The ceremony carried on smoothly without a hitch. She gripped onto her dads so very tightly as she walked down the aisle, hoping she wouldn't fall, and he couldn't help but cry when he saw her coming. She was just so perfect, like he said in his vows, and soon to be all his._

_"Rachel, do you take Finn Christopher Hudson to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? Through sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"_

_"I do." She smiled._

_"And do you, Finn, take Rachel Barbra Berry to…"_

_"Heck yes!" He shouted, taking her petite frame into his embrace and kissing her passionately._

_She giggled against his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck._

_"Well, ok then!" The priest laughed along with the crowd. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now… continue to kiss your bride."_

_The chapel filled with cheer as the newlyweds ran out holding hands._

_"Feels good." Rachel admitted._

_"And there are no regrets?"_

_She shook her head, leaning in for another kiss. "None."_

_Shortly after the ceremony ended, the reception was held in a bigger room downstairs. But before they could get the party going, Finn and Rachel went around to greet their guests and Kurt had to make a speech before dinner could even be started._

_"Hello, everyone. Kurt Anderson here. Best friend of the bride and brother of the groom." Kurt said. "First, I would like to start off by welcoming you all and thank you for coming out tonight to help us celebrate the Finchel love. And I would also like to apologize now for crying, because I know that by the end of this, my eyes will be flowing faster than a river." He skipped over to where Finn and Rachel were sitting as the sound of laughter filled the air. "So, Finn and Rachel. I met them both my sophomore year of high school, in Glee club. He was the popular, hunky football jock and she was the overly obsessed with her career on Broadway type of girl. And I am not going to mention all the solos she literally fought to get." He joked. "But even though they were so different, they still somehow managed to be together. Overcame every obstacle, and that is why we are here today." He went on, taking her hand. "Rachel, I love you. And Finn. May you guys share a long life full of nothing but happiness, I wish you the best. Congratulations." He raised his glass high. "Cheers to the lovely couple."_

_"Cheers!" Everyone repeated._

_Kurt, setting the microphone down on the DJ's table, raced to his seat as the caterer's served dinner. It wasn't long before he was sent back up though, to call them out for their first dance as a married couple. The song played was "Faithfully"._

_"Ya know, I don't think that I've told you yet, just how beautiful you look tonight, Mrs. Hudson." Finn said, swaying with her. His hands placed on her waist as she locked hers around his neck, resting her head on his chest._

_"Mrs. Hudson?... I could get used to that." Rachel smiled. "And you don't look to bad yourself, by the way. You cleaned up so well."_

_"Yeah, you could thank Kurt for that. He nearly died this morning when I forgot to brush my hair."_

_She giggled. "I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

_By that time, many other pairs had joined them on the dance floor, and after a few more songs, all was worn out. So, it was decided, they cut the cake._

_Finn booked it over to the table, dragging Rachel behind, and Carole handed him the knife. They piled their hands on top of one another's, sliding it in carefully together. They were supposed to feed a bite to each other next, but he just had it shoved into his face instead. She then laughed hysterically, her fingers covered in Vanilla sponge, not expecting for him to return the favor._

_"No, not the dress!" Kurt panicked, as a blue rose was smeared across her cheek and nose._

_"Finn!" She yelled, right before they shared an icing flavored kiss. Both of them smiling at how truly wonderful that day had been._

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

Rachel reached over, giving her husband a quick kiss on the cheek.

He smiled, rubbing her back as they stared down at the next set of pictures. Jillian, only a day old, wrapped up in a tiny pink blanket.

"Do you remember when I told you that I was pregnant for the first time?"

"Yes! How could I forget, I almost fainted."

"Finn… You did faint."

**(FLASHBACK: PREGNANT)**

_"I can't believe this is happening." Rachel thought, pacing the living room carpet as she waited for Finn to arrive home for the night. "We just got married."_

_"Babe, I'm home!" Finn hollered, closing the front door before he came to find her. "Hey, Rach."_

_"Hi."_

_"And how are you, how was your day?"_

_"Good." She answered. "Um… Finn? We need to talk." She pushed him down onto the couch. "And I think you should sit to hear this one."_

_"Alright?" He was very curious. "What's going on, sweetheart?"_

"_Well, I want to know…what would you think about us having a baby?"_

_He laughed. "I would think, bring it on. Finchel baby!"_

"_Ok then, great. Finn, I'm pregnant." She blurted out._

_His face fell. "Wait, what? How did this happen?"_

_"Really, Finn?"_

_"Well, I mean, I know how it happened but… How could it happen?"_

_"Wait a minute. What happened to the whole "bring it on" thing you were just talking about?"_

_"That was when I thought you were just asking me a simple question. I didn't know that that was your way of trying to drop the bomb on me!"_

_"So, you're upset?"_

_He sighed, it being his turn to pace the room. "Oh my god. Rachel do you even know what this means? We're going to be parents! We are going to be responsible for another human life. And I can barely even work our washer and dryer! Forget taking care of a baby."_

_"I knew you would be mad!" With tears forming at the corners of her eyes, she turned to storm away._

_"No, Rach… Don't, please don't cry. I'm sorry; you just caught me off guard. This is so great. Really." He held his forehead, feeling a bit dizzy._

_"Are you sure?" She asked._

_"Yeah, yeah. I'm just a little shocked and surprised right now, that's all. But I still have a while to get used to the idea."He explained. "W-When are you due again?"_

_"Well, the doctor said that I am already 2 months, so…" Rachel hadn't enough time to speak before he had fallen to the floor, passing out. "Oh my… Finn!" She knelt down beside his lifeless body, smacking the side of his face gently. "Finn, baby, wake up."_

_His eyes fluttered open only a few short minutes later. He was confused at first but then remembered what had happened._

_"Hey, how are you feeling, honey?"_

_"Rachel, I'm not ready to be a dad." He admitted. "I've never even had a father myself, so how the heck am I supposed to know what to do?"_

_"What? And you think I am ready to be a mom?" She questioned. "Are you forgetting that I never had a mother figure around either?"_

_"So then, what are we gonna do?"_

_"We are going to take this one step at a time. Day by day, and we'll get through this." She stated, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Together."_

_"Ok." He nodded. "Together."_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

"Ok, so I freaked out a little."

"A little? Finn, come on."

"Ok. So, I freaked out a lot."

"That's more like it."

He rolled his eyes, turning the page. "And then she was born…"

** (FLASHBACK: JILLIAN HUDSON)**

_"Oww." Rachel screeched, wincing in pain. "Honey." She whispered, sitting up in bed and nudging her husband. "Finn!"_

_He groaned, pulling his pillow over his head._

_"Finn, I-I think it's time."_

_"Time for what?" He grumbled._

_"The baby!" She yelled. "It's coming."_

_Finn's eyes popped open as he quickly pushed himself up to look at her. "Are you sure?"_

_She nodded, grabbing his hand and squeezing it as she felt more pain. "Yeah. It's definitely time."_

_"Oh, ok." He panicked, climbing out of bed. "We should probably get you to the hospital then." Running into their closet, he picked up her bag and slung it over his shoulder before helping her out to the car. "How you doing, babe?"_

_"Good." She breathed._

_"Good." He smiled. "Wow, this is so exciting, Rach! We're gonna be parents, we're finally going to meet our son or daughter."_

_She giggled weakly. "I can't wait."_

_They arrived at the hospital minutes later, only to hear that it was no where even near close to being over, she still had hours to go. And she was dreading it. She hadn't realized that it would take so long. But she had to admit, the time did go by fairly quick._

_"I hate you so much." Rachel sighed. "You did this to me."_

_"Just try to relax, alright?" Finn stated, kissing her forehead._

_"It hurts so bad."_

_"I know, I know."_

_Just then, the doctor walked into the room. "Hello, Rachel. Are you ready?" He smiled._

_"As ready as I'll ever be." Rachel said. And soon after, a loud cry filled the air._

_"It's a girl!" A nurse had shouted. "Congratulations." Taking her away for a short amount of time before bringing the child back and placing her in her mother's arms._

_"She's beautiful." Finn sat down on the edge of his wife's bed, admiring their little bundle of joy. "And she looks exactly like you."_

_"Except for the nose. It was clearly inherited from you." She stated. "Thank goodness."_

_He chuckled, sticking his finger out for the tiny person to grip onto before cooing at her. "Hi, sweetheart. I'm your daddy. And this gorgeous woman here next to me is your mommy."_

_"And we just want to let you know that we love you so much. More than anything else."_

_She let out a soft whine, fidgeting around, but soon fell right back to sleep._

_Both adults smiled._

_"Hey, Rach?"_

_"Hmmm?"_

_"She, uh… Doesn't have a name. We never agreed on one."_

_"Oh my… I forgot! It completely crossed my mind."_

_"Let's just think of one now then."_

_"Well, actually, I already found one that I liked, when I was looking through the book a couple days ago." She admitted. "I just never discussed it with you."_

_"Really?" He questioned. "What is it?"_

_"Jillian." She spoke. "It means Youthful."_

_"Jillian..." He thought, then nodded. "It's perfect."_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

"And then, before we knew it, she was turning one."

He nodded. "The time flew by way too quickly."

"It really did."

**(FLASHBACK: HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY)**

_"Good morning, Jillian." Rachel cooed, entering her daughter's room. "Happy birthday, honey!"_

_Jillian stood in her crib, giggling and reaching out for her mother._

_"Is my spoiled baby girl ready to get lots of presents?" Leaning over to kiss her curly, brown locks, she picked her up and tossed her into the air. "And cake!"_

_"Cake." Jill repeated excitedly._

_"Yeah. Plus, everyone is coming in to see you and help us celebrate." She said. "Like grandma and grandpa. And Uncle Kurt."_

_Her face lit up with joy._

_"But before any of that can happen…." Rachel went on. "We have to get daddy up." Carrying the one year old down the hall and into the master bedroom, she sat her on her husband's back, where she bounced up and down anxiously and hit the back of his neck, making him smile into the pillow._

_"Hello, Jilly bean." Finn chuckled. "Happy birthday."_

_"Dada, up!" Jillian yelled._

_"I'm up. I'm up." He grumbled, rolling over._

_"Good. How about we head downstairs and enjoy some special birthday strawberry pancakes?" Rachel questioned._

_"Is ceam."_

_"No, no ice cream for breakfast, silly." He stated, tickling her tummy. "But those pancakes really do sound delicious, babe."_

_"Alright then." She laughed. "Let's go!"_

_The rest of the day went by quick, spending the long hours preparing for the party. And finally, it was time for some fun._

_"Tear the paper off, Jill!" Burt shouted from his spot on the couch. "Open it."_

_Jillian, with all her might, tried ripping the wrapping off her gifts, but the tape was just too strong and it wouldn't even budge. "Mama." She cried, growing aggravated._

_"It's ok, sweetheart." Rachel cooed, rushing to her aid. "I'll help you." Peeling the tape off, she tore off the remainder of the paper, and a set of Sesame Street bath toys were revealed. "Oh, Jilly. Look what you got!"_

_Jill toddled to gather the scattered, shiny paper from all of her presents, and sat herself down in the corner to play, obviously more amused by that than anything else._

_Kurt was slightly offended. "She chooses those over the Loius Vuitton baby shoes? Really?"_

_Finn chuckled. "Sorry, dude."_

_"Well, that was the last one." Abby said anxiously. "Is it time for cake now?"_

_"Abigail, relax." Blaine warned._

_"No. I'm sure Jilly can't wait. So, if we could all make our way into the kitchen..." Rachel lifted the one year old from the carpet, which made her begin whining, as everybody did so. "Oh, you can play with your wrapping paper later. It'll still be there when you get back." Handing her over to Finn, who kissed their fussy daughter's forhead, she went into the refridgerator and carefully took out Carole's homeade Strawberry cake. Setting it down on the nearest counter, she lit the candle before starting to sing, as she walked back over to the table. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you."_

_The rest of the small group had joined in, and the little girl cried, growing shy and burying her face in her dad's shirt. Surprisingly, she wasn't too fond of all the attention being toward her._

_"Happy birthday dear, Jillian..." The family laughed. "Happy birthday to you."_

_"Blow out your candle, baby!" Finn urged, holding her up over the cake. But she refused. So, they let Abby do it._

_"Yay!" They cheered, and Finn pulled the candle out with his free hand while his wife got the plates and forks from the cupboard._

_Jill was the first one served a piece, and she immediately dug into it, making a huge mess out of her highchair, hands and face._

_"Whoa!" Burt chuckled. "At least try to get some in your mouth, kiddo."_

_Carole smiled. "So, Rachel. Your dad's couldn't make it in this weekend?"_

_"No." She answered sadly. "They're terribly sorry though, they had an important business trip. But they did not forget to send their granddaughter a gift."_

_"I actually think that they sent more, as a way to make it up to her." Finn admitted._

_"What did they get her?" She asked curiously._

_"Some clothes, toys, and this playhouse thing that Finn still hasn't built yet."_

_"Oh, well, that'll be fun!" The older woman said. "She'll have a good time with that."_

_"Once you throw away the wrapping paper." Blaine stated._

_They all laughed again._

_"Well, we better get going." Kurt cut in, looking at his watch. "It's getting late and Abby has school tomorrow."_

_"Us too." Burt stood up, lying his napkin down on the table. "We have to catch our flight back to Ohio early in the morning."_

_"Thanks for coming."_

_"Of course, Rachel." Carole hugged her daughter-in-law. "We're sorry to have to be leaving so soon."_

_Finn tossed Jillian up in the air, blowing rasberries on her tummy. "Don't worry about it. We have to get this little munchkin cleaned up before bed anyway." He ruffled his child's hair, which he learned had food stuck in it._

_She nodded. "Have a happy birthday, my beautiful Jillian. I'll be seeing you soon, ok?"_

_Jill waved. "Bye, gama."_

_"Aww, goodbye, sweetie pie." Carole kissed her rosey cheek, along with Burt before they left for Kurt and Blaine's apartment, where they were staying. For it was closer to the airport._

_"Well, that was nice. Just getting together, seeing your parents and celebrating." Rachel grabbed a wet towel and wiped off her daughter's face while her husband had her in his arms. "And you, my dear, are filthy!"_

_Jillian giggled and reached out to touch her mother's face, smearing the pink icing across it. "Wike mama."_

_Finn laughed._

_"Oh, you think this is funny?" She questioned, recieving a nod in responce. "Really?" Turning around, she stuck her fingers in the leftover cake by the sink before getting him smack on the nose. "Just like daddy too."_

_"Oh, now this..." He put Jillian on her feet so that she wouldn't get hurt, before shoving his own hand in it, as Rachel prepared herself for what was coming next. "Is war."_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

"Ugh, I remember it taking me so long to get that stupid stuff off." Rachel groaned. "It stained."

"Luckily, I didn't have that problem."

"You just wait, Hudson." She turned the page. "One day…"

** (FLASHBACK: BABY NUMBER TWO)**

_"Anything yet, Rach?"_

_"No." Rachel sighed, sitting down on the edge of the tub and bouncing her leg nervously. She just couldn't believe she was in this same position again. So soon. Jillian had only just turned 2. _

_"Well, how much longer?" Finn asked._

_Reaching over, she grabbed her cell phone off of the counter and checked the time. "A minute and a half."_

_It was his turn to sigh, leaving the spot where he had been pacing for the last 5 minutes to enter the bathroom. "What are we going to do if you are?"_

_"I don't know." She answered. "I mean, rehearsals for RENT just started. Now, I may have to quit."_

_He ran his fingers through his hair, leaning against the counter for support. "Ugh, this is all just happening so fast."_

_She nodded just as the alarm sounded. "You look. I can't do it."_

_"Ok." With shaky hands, he picked up the test and snuck a quick peek. "Would you look at that? It's a red X." He shook his head, laughing. "We panicked for nothing."_

_"Wait, what?" That wasn't one of the choices, so she got up and looked herself. "That is a plus sign, you idiot! And it means positive."_

_"Oh." He frowned as she started to cry, muttering an "I can't believe this" into her palms. "Hey, it'll be alright. I mean, things happen for a reason, right? And we have been through this before, so we actually know what we're doing."_

_"How the heck are we supposed to care for two very young children, and work, at the age of 27?"_

_"I'm not going to lie, I think it'll be hard. " He admitted. "But I also think that we can totally do this."_

_"You do? Really?"_

_"Yeah. I'm up for the challenge." He said, making her giggle weakly._

_"Bring it on."_

**(END OF FLASHBACK)**

"And then _she_ was born…"

**(FLASHBACK: PAYTON HUDSON)**

_"Mommy, I hungwy."_

_"What do you mean you're hungry?" Rachel questioned, keeping an eye on her 2 and a half year old while she spent some time playing with her toys in the tub. "We just ate dinner. Pasta, remember?"_

_"Yeah, but I wans more!"_

_"You are turning into a little piggy like your daddy." She stated, making the little girl giggle. Then, clutching her stomach when she felt an unexpected sharp pain that, thankfully, went unnoticed._

_"Knock, knock." Finn entered the small room, setting a towel down on the toilet. "I went upstairs and got the pajamas you wanted, babe."_

_She flinched, closing her eyes as she felt, yet another, pain. "Thanks, honey."_

_"Hey, are you ok?" He asked._

_"I'm fine." She lied through clenched teeth._

_"Are you sure?"_

_She nodded. "Honest."_

_After getting Jill situated, the little family had agreed on a movie and decided to watch it together. Finn carried their daughter into the living room and got comfortable on the couch while Rachel stayed behind in the kitchen to make them a bowl of popcorn._

_"This can't be happening." She whispered, taking a deep breath. She wasn't due for another month._

_"Rachel…" Finn had come back in to see what was taking her so long, because they were waiting to start the movie and Jillian was getting restless. But when he saw her hunched over in agony, that was the least of his worries. "What's wrong?"_

_"It's time."_

_"No. That's impossible! The calendar says that we still have exactly 29 days."_

_"Well, the baby says now!" She growled._

_He stared at her in shock before it finally clicked. "We have to get to the hospital!" Helping her get her coat and shoes, he buckled his kid into the car before racing to their needed destination._

_A very scared Rachel was then sent back for an immediate C- section__, __but he was not allowed in with her. So, he was forced to stay out in the waiting area._

_"Mommy ok?"_

_Finn picked his little girl up, holding her close to his chest as he rubbed her back gently. "Mommy will be fine, sweetheart."_

_He wasn't too sure about her sibling though, her being so early and all. And that jerk of a doctor wouldn't tell him anything. So, he had no idea what was going on. The feeling was horrible._

_"Mr. Hudson?" A nurse walked in, asking. "You can see them now."_

_He smiled, following the older woman to room 8, where his perfect wife lay, cradling their newest bundle of joy._

_Rachel locked eyes with him, returning the biggest smile and crying a bit. "Would you like to meet your daughter?"_

_"You have no idea." He chuckled, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. Gazing at the tiny person in her arms, his heart melted. "She's beautiful."_

_"Payton."_

_"Payton?"_

_"Yes. I heard the name used the other day on TV, when we were watching one of your football games, and it stood out to me." She explained. "I fell in love with it. And I figured that you would too, because it's not Barbara."_

_He laughed. "I love it, Rach."_

_She sighed, resting her head upon his shoulder. "Payton Elizabeth Hudson. Born weighing a solid 7 pounds, 16 inches long."_

_"She's wittle." Jill cut in._

_"Yeah. You were that little once."_

_"But now you're a big girl." He said. "And a big sister."_

_"Me?"_

_"Yes you, silly." She cooed, tickling her tummy before turning back to a sleeping Payton._

_"She looks so much like you. Just like Jilly did."_

_"I can't say this enough, though, I'm too proud… Neither of them have my nose!"_

_He laughed again. "It just so happens that I love your nose. It's cute."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Yeah."_

_Rachel smiled, closing the space between them and kissing his lips. "Well, I love you." She informed him. "And our 2 amazing children."_

_"We're a family." Jill stated._

_"Yes, Jilly bean. Yes, we are."_

** (END OF FLASHBACK)**

"2 years later and here we are." Rachel spoke. "A family."

"With another new member already."

"Finn, if you don't mind, I would like to wait a long while before we add to the Hudson clan again."

He chuckled. "I have no problem with that, babe."

**(FLASHBACK: BABY NUMBER THREE)**

_"So, I catch the ball, right? And I'm running down the field as fast as I can, when all of a sudden…"_

_"Finn, I have to tell you something." Rachel blurted, sitting down on the couch. "And I'm not really sure how you're going to take it."_

_"Ok… Shoot." He said, building a block house on the floor with the girls._

_"Well, I got some news today, and…"_

_"Wait a minute." He stopped her. "I know this talk." He sighed. "Rachel, please tell me that you aren't…"_

_She nodded._

_"Baby number 3?" He question, somewhat afraid to hear the answer._

_"Baby number 3." She repeated._

_"What are we starting this new "have a baby every 2 years" tradition?" He asked. "People are going to think that we're crazy, Rach."_

_"Well, we kind of are."_

_He sighed again. "This one better be a boy."_

_"I think it is."_

_"Oh, you do, do you?"_

_"I feel different." She admitted. "It's not a girl this time around. I know it!"_

** (END OF FLASHBACK)**

Rachel closed the photo album, yawning. They had reached the end of the book, but still had plenty more memories to come.


	11. VACATION ALL I EVER WANTED

Rehearsals, Games, cleaning, the kids… Everything was finally starting to catch up with Rachel, and the stress was eating at her. She just never got to do anything for herself anymore, like hanging out with her family, for example. That was out of the question because, when was there any time?

Finn noticed this, the change in her mood. And he couldn't blame her for just wanting to escape it all, because sometimes, he wanted to too. So instead, he did something about it.

Monday, the morning that they were leaving for New Jersey, a place where he had the most childhood memories with his mom, to take their very much needed vacation, she was up bright and early to make sure that every little thing that they would need was packed and ready to go. She wanted to be out of the house by 7 a.m, so that even after they made the 2 hour drive, they would still have plenty of time to hit the beach later on that day.

"So, are you just as excited as I am?" Kurt Anderson asked. He, Blaine and Abigail had planned to go with them, along with Carole, Burt and Kristen, making it a family trip. For they were all in desperate need of a good get away, as well.

"You have no idea." Rachel was currently in the process of packing a cooler for the car ride down, filling it with lots of snacks and treats for the kids. "A drama slash stress free zone is just where I need to be right now."

"I know exactly what you mean." He stated, bouncing baby Christopher on his knee. "I have been so tired lately, from being over worked. The producer of my next show just will not get off my tail about all these different costume designs that he needs done… It'll just be nice to not have to wake up early and go to that dreadful job for a bit."

"Yeah." She chuckled. "For 2 weeks, you can just lye out on the beach all day, whenever you want."

"I can already smell the ocean!" He laughed.

"Finn and I are most anxious about taking the kids, since they've never been there." She admitted. "Ya know, with our crazy schedules, it's just been too hard."

"Abby went when she was 4. We drove out to Long Island for the day, but that's about it." He said. "I highly doubt that she even remembers."

"Probably not." She nodded, sealing the large container shut. "And hey, so, I was also thinking, we should totally have a girl's day while we're there. Break away from the kids, go to a Spa and enjoy ourselves?"

"You read my mind, diva!" Kurt squealed. "It'll be so much fun…"

"And relaxing." She added.

"Right. And Carole can come along with us if she'd like, while my dad, Finn and Blaine keep an eye on Jillian, Payton, Chris, Abby and Kristen."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Rachel shut off the kitchen light before lifting the heavy cooler off the counter, as he stood up, moving the little boy over to his hip. They then walked out into the living room, where the rest of their crew was watching TV while they waited.

"I just don't understand why people love this movie so much. It isn't even that original." Burt sat on the couch next to his wife with a very sleepy Payton on his lap. "It's just all of the other Disney storylines squished together, creating one big one."

"Don't hate on Enchanted, dad." Kristen warned. "It's great."

"Yeah, I think it's cute." Blaine cut in.

"I don't _dislike_ it." Finn said. "But I don't necessarily _care_ for it either."

"Is that why you know every word to every song?" Rachel asked, causing laughter to erupt.

"It's not my fault they're so catchy." He mumbled, taking the cooler from her. "Ok, is it time to go yet?"

"Just about." Carole announced, checking the time on her husband's watch. "Who's ready?"

The small group cheered, getting up and gathering their things.

"Abigail, go to the bathroom before you get in that car." Kurt demanded. "We are not stopping on the way."

"Same goes to you, Kris." Burt directed, before going outside with his son's.

Rachel stayed in, forcing her girl's to use the bathroom, as well, before she exited the house, closing and locking the door behind her.

"Alright, Abby and Kristen, why don't you guys go all the way to the back…" Kurt suggested, loading the last of his parent's luggage into the red Town and Country van. "And dad and Carole, you two can sit in the middle row."

Abby hopped up into the vehicle followed by Kristen, both of them finding their appropriate seats. "Dad, give me my IPod."

"I will, Abigail." Blaine replied, starting the car. "Just give me a second, sweetheart."

Rachel sprinted over to the Hudson Escalade, where Finn was messing around in the back, and opened the doors to get Jillian and Payton situated.

"Jilly, you have Finchel, correct?" He questioned, shutting the trunk.

"Yeah." Jillian sat herself down in her booster seat, waving the bear in the air. "He's right here!"

He nodded, moving to the opposite side of the car and tossing the cooler next to her. "And you printed out the directions?"

"Yes." Rachel answered, buckling up Payton. "They are in my purse."

"Rachel!" Blaine yelled, sprinting over. "I almost forgot. We still have your baby." He chuckled.

"I knew we were missing somebody." She cooed, taking Christopher into her arms and kissing his forehead, before placing him in his car seat.

"By the way, are we taking the lead today? Or are you and Finn?" He asked. "Because I have a map."

"I guess it doesn't matter. I mean, we have Glenda if…"

"We are not using the stupid GPS." Finn interjected.

"Finn, do not talk about Glenda that way. She is actually very productive."

Blaine backed away nervously. 'We'll just follow you guys then."

"Rachel…" He continued. "She always gets us lost!"

"That is not true. We never end up at the wrong location."

"Yeah. And we never end up in the right one either."

"Fine." She climbed into the passenger's seat, putting a movie on to keep the kids entertained and occupied. "But if you get us lost, you're in trouble."

"Why did you think I told you to go online and get directions?"

"I thought they were back-ups, in case something happens."

"Unlike you, I know what I'm doing."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure you do."

"Mommy?" Jillian asked. "Why are we up before the sun?"

"Because your mother is a looney toon, who thinks that we have to get there super duper early, so that we have time to do another activity today, and our day won't be wasted on driving." He explained, being cocky. "She also thinks that she knows everything. When really, she doesn't. Because if she _was_ that smart, she'd realize that this whole thing is pointless. Seeing as, we can't even get into our hotel room to change until 11!"

"There might be traffic on the highway!" Rachel growled. "And maybe, if you would just shut your mouth for two seconds, I could inform you about the reservations your mom and I made last night for breakfast at 9:30. If we leave any later, we won't make them." She sighed, falling back against her seat when she heard a horn being honked behind them. "Just drive, Finn."

Finn put his keys into the ignition, pulling out of the driveway. Blaine did the same right after, and then they hit the road.

It was an hour into the drive, when Finn could no longer take the silence. Payton and Christopher were fast asleep, while Jillian was still fighting to keep her eyes open as she quietly watched Cinderella. And his wife was ignoring him, twisted in her seat, looking out the window.

He cleared his throat, glancing at her quick before turning his attention back to the road ahead. She looked miserable, making him feel extremely bad; because she was really the only reason at all they were going on that trip in the first place. So, reaching over, he took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. And when she didn't respond, he built up the urge to speak. "I love you." He tried, kissing her fingers.

Rachel closed her eyes, feeling weak. She was just unable to resist, and stay mad. "Love you too, Finn." She whispered, intertwining their fingers together as he smiled at his own defeat.

The family neared the end of their journey shortly after stopping at an Ihop to eat, pulling onto a drawbridge that carried you over the ocean. Rolling down the windows, they listened to all the waves crashing beneath them.

"We're almost there, guys." Finn announced.

Jillian gasped excitedly, throwing Finchel, who had been learning dance moves in the back of the car, to the floor. "I can't wait to go swimming!"

"It big!" Payton shouted, pointing to the body of water below.

"Yeah, Pay. It's like a really huge bath tub."

"Wit fisies."

"With lots of fishies, sweetie." Rachel giggled.

"What kind of fishies are in the ocean, mommy?" Jill asked curiously.

"Well, there are Flounder fish and Angel fish."

"And Rainbow, right? Like in the book."

She nodded. "Yes, I'm sure there are Rainbow fish. And there are…"

"Sharks." Finn added.

"What?" The 5 year olds voice filled with fear. "I'm not going in now."

"Why would you tell her that?" Rachel shot her husband a nasty glare. "Honey, don't listen to your daddy. Sharks don't come around people."

"Only when they smell blood." He stated, receiving a painful elbow from his wife.

"Oh, no!" She started to cry. "Mommy, I don't want them to eat me."

"Jilly bean…" She smacked Finn upside the head. "They aren't going to come anywhere near you."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"I still just want to play in the sand, though."

"That's fine, Jill."

"But there are sand crabs…" Finn whispered.

"Finn, shut up!" Rachel hissed.

"What did you say, daddy?"

"Seashells!" He yelled. "There are very pretty seashells in the sand."

"Oh." Jill nodded, turning to look back out at the passing boats.

"Nice save."

"Yeah, thanks, Rachel."

They got off the bridge, driving through a small town for 15 minutes before the hotel they were staying at, the Aztec, which was right on the boardwalk, even came into view. Parking in the parkade, they all got out, and the chaos began.

"I have to go potty!" Jillian informed her parents, as Christopher's loud wails filled the air.

"Ok, Jilly." Rachel slid out of the car, slamming her door shut before opening the one behind her. "Finn?" She set Payton on her feet and let Jill out. "I'll take the girl's to find a restroom, and then I will head to the front desk to check in. Can you manage Christopher and unload the luggage onto one of those carts?"

Yeah, I got it." He answered.

"Ok, we'll meet in the lobby."

"Mommy, hurry up!" Jill whined. "I have to go."

"Alright, alright!" She grabbed both of her daughter's hands and led them into the building, thinking that it was going to be a _very _long trip.

***BREAK***

"Beach! Beach! Beach! Beach!" Jillian jumped up and down on one of the beds, clad in her brown bathing suit, which has pink hearts scattered all over. "Daddy, when are we going?"

"Ya know, the faster we get there, the faster we've got to leave." He said, picking up his son, who had been sitting right next to him.

"Oh." She kicked her feet out in front of her, falling to the edge. "I can wait."

"Hey, babe?" Finn questioned. "Are you almost done in there? I need to change too."

Just then, the bathroom door reopened, and Payton came running out with her mother, who was now in her white and gold star two piece, not far behind.

"Wow." He stared. "Looking good."

"Stop it." Rachel unzipped her suitcase and used one of her tank tops to cover up. She hadn't been brave enough to wear a bathing suit since before her Jillian was born. "Just go change!"

As he went into the bathroom, laughing, there was a knock on the door. Jillian was quick to go for it, finding the rest of her family standing on the other side.

"We're ready for the beach!" Carole walked into their room, modeling off her solid black one piece.

"You're smoking hot, Carole." Blaine chuckled.

"I do approve." Kurt added.

"Why thank you, boys!" She gave them both a kiss on the cheek before settling on a chair next to Payton. "Well, would you look at this little beach baby?" She poked the 2 year olds tummy, making her giggle. "Cutest thing I've ever seen!"

Payton was sporting her new metallic blue and green suit, ruffles circling her waist. And her thick, brown hair was pulled back into spiraled piggy tails with 2 sparkly bows. The outfit was tied together with a pair of sunglasses, bigger than her face.

"Aunt Rachel?" Abigail asked sweetly, sitting down next to her. She was very fond of her aunt, ever since day 1. "Will you please braid my hair for the beach?"

"Oh, of course, Abbs!"

Moments later, Finn came out in his swimming trunks with Christopher in tow. Jumping back when his mom practically attacked him for the child in his arms.

"My goodness! Most adorable baby boy award goes to you, buddy." She cooed. "Burt, look at our grandson. With his tiny sandals. And the matching hat!"

"Yeah. You've definitely got yourself a lady's man." Burt chuckled. "You driving us to the beach today, bud?"

Christopher gurgled, taking the colorful, toys keys out of his mouth and handing them to his grandpa.

"I'm driving?"

"Aww, Burt. I want another baby."

He nearly fainted. "W-What?"

"Who cares about age?"

"But what about Kristen? She's kind of cute."

"Hey!" Kristen shouted. "And dad, I am a _woman_ now. I should be personified as hot."

Everyone laughed.

"Alright." Rachel finished twisting her niece's hair, letting it fall to her shoulder. "You're done."

"Can we go then?" Jillian asked, growing impatient.

"Yes, Jill. We'll go." Blaine said, holding his hand out toward her, and she happily took it. "You can be my date."

She smiled widely. "Did you hear that, daddy? I have a date!"

Finn sighed. "Perfect." Picking up his key, he followed them out of their hotel and onto the boardwalk, crossing over to the beach. Many other people already occupied most of the sand, but, luckily, they still found a big enough open spot to lay down their blankets. "Jill, you're going in the water with me."

"No." She whimpered. "I want to build a sand castle."

"I don't care what you do, as long as you get some sunscreen on that body of yours." Rachel stated, squirting the lotion on her hand before rubbing the 5 year old down with it. "You too, Finny. I know how bad you burn."

"Yup. To the crisp!"

"I don't want to go in the water with you, daddy."

"Listen, Jillian. There is nothing to be afraid off. Tons of other people are out there swimming as we speak." He crouched down to her level, pointing to the big body of water in front of them. "And look, no sharks."

"I'm still scared."

"You have my word; I will not let anything happen to you."

She hesitated, but nodded and clutched onto his leg as they approached the shoreline. "Don't let go."

"Relax." Finn picked her up, placing a kiss upon her forehead as he trudged deeper into the water. "Do you honestly think that I would ever let you go anywhere? Yeah, you're a pain in my butt sometimes, but I still love you to death."

Back up at the blanket, Rachel had just finished preparing the other kids before she decided to take them down as well. Squatting, she held Chris tightly to her chest and let the water wash over his toes as it went in and out with every wave. He enjoyed it, kicking and splashing.

"Mommy, wook!" Payton had been standing next to her, when something floating nearby caught her eye. Bending over, she picked it up.

"Wow. That's a pretty one, honey."

"Seasell."

"Yeah. And did you know, that if you hold it to your ear, you can hear the ocean?" She helped her daughter position the shell against her ear correctly, and she listened. "See?"

Payton smiled, completely amused, until a huge wave suddenly came out of nowhere and knocked her over. She was rescued quickly though, as soon as she went under.

"Oh, no." Rachel chuckled, wiping the salt off her face. "You ok, sweetheart?"

"Again!" She yelled, being happy until she realized that she was now empty handed. "My Seasell!"

"No, no, Pay. Don't cry." Rachel cooed. "We'll find you another one, ok? There are lots of them out there." She searched the water, quickly snatching one up when it floated by a couple of waves later. "Look at this one, baby girl."

Her eyes grew wide at the sight. It was so huge, probably bigger than her hands.

"Just hold onto it. You don't want to lose another one."

She handed it over to her mother, so that she could go on her own search for more, finding a bunch of different shapes and sizes. "Wook, Mommy."

"I see, I see." She chuckled, letting her son check out all the seashells in her grip. "Wait until daddy sees these. He's going to think they are so cool."

She nodded. "Mommy, I done now."

"You're done? Well then, let's go back up to grandma, and you can show her what you found too."

"Ok!"

"Alright." Rachel lifted her son out of the water, standing up and taking her middle child's hand. "Let's go."

They made their way back up to their umbrella, Payton stopping every now and then to chase a seagull. She just thought they were the coolest thing, since she was only used to the presence of New York pigeons.

"Did my little beach baby have some fun?" Carole asked, letting her granddaughter onto her lap. "And Chris, what did he think?"

"I think they both enjoyed themselves." She answered. "And Christopher here likes to splash. Don't you, buddy?"

Christopher squealed happily, latching onto his mother's nose.

"Aww." Kurt chuckled. "Ya know, I miss having a tiny tot around. So, I may just have to steal yours."

"Don't even think about it. He's mine." Rachel set him down on the ground, opening the cooler to get lemonade for her parched self. And by the time she had turned back around, she noticed that he had already found something to put in his mouth. "Hey, Chrissy, what do you got there?"

He looked away, throwing in and chew more sand, which made her gasp.

"No! Do not eat that." She forced the sand from his hand before cleaning and making him rinse out his mouth. "That is yucky!" Pulling him further onto the blanket, she sighed. "Disgusting."

"You think that's bad? Well, Finn used to drink sunscreen."

"Gross!" Kurt yelled.

"Ugh, I can't believe I've kissed those lips!"

Carole laughed as she watched the person they just spoke of, coming up the beach. Grabbing a towel, Finn sat down next to his wife.

"Hi, guys."

"Here, bro." Kurt went into their bag, tossing him the container of lotion. "In case you're thirsty."

Rachel giggled at how confused he was. "Honey, where's Jilly?"

"I-I don't know…" He grew serious, staring down at her. "I thought she was with you?"

"Oh my… Not again." She started to panic. "Finn!"

"Relax. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. She stayed out in the ocean with Blaine."

"Then, why would you say that?" She growled, punching his chest repeatedly.

"Rachel!" Someone yelled. "Finn!"

Both of them turned their heads toward the voice to see Burt approaching, a crying 5 year old in his grasp. So, they stood up, greeting him halfway.

"What happened?" Rachel asked curiously.

"Mommy…" Jillian sobbed. "It hurts."

"What does, baby?"

"A jellyfish sting." Burt showed them her very red leg, which had marks imprinted on it from the tentacles, going from mid thigh to her ankle. "Really does look like it."

"We need to care for it." Finn stated. "There's a first aid station right off the beach."

"You guys take her. We'll keep an eye on Christopher and Payton." Carole said.

"Ok." Rachel scurried across the sand behind her husband, who held their daughter bridal style, and into the small hut, where a man, Mark, sat at the front desk and read a sports magazine.

"Well, hello." Mark stood up, stepping over to them. "What do we have here?"

"We don't know for sure… But, a jellyfish sting." She informed him.

He nodded. "Alright, let me take a quick peek." Leading them back into a room, he grabbed some equipment out of the closet. "Good job rushing her over here, by the way. Most people think that stings aren't serious, but they can get pretty bad if you let them go. Life threatening."

Rachel cringed, tightening her grip on Jill's hand as Finn put her down on the table.

"Now, this may cause a bit of discomfort." Mark continued. "But it will kill the poison before it has the chance to spread." He rubbed some type of white cream on the affected area, making her cry harder.

"Shhh, sweetheart. It's ok." Finn whispered in her ear, kissing her temple. "He's almost done."

Mark finished up by wrapping her up in an ACE bandage, smiling up at Rachel as he did so. "Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Rachel Berry an awful lot?"

"Y-Yes." She answered. "I've heard that."

"I am a huge fan." He chuckled. "I've heard every interview, seen every show… And I would lie and say that it's because they're entertaining, but I just have to be honest, you're smoking hot."

Rachel blushed in embarrassment as a jealous Finn stepped in.

"Would you mind focusing on my daughter right now? Please, and not my wife."

"You're a very lucky guy, ya know?"

"Yes." Finn picked Jillian back up, leaving him with full hands so that he couldn't punch the dude. "I'm aware."

"Thank you." Rachel shook his hand. "For um… Fixing her up."

"No problem, cutie." Mark winked. "Just take Tylenol for the pain."

"Will do." She waved awkwardly, leaving.

"Wow, what a jerk." Finn grumbled, once back outside. "He could have at least _tried _to hide his flirting."

Rachel rolled her eyes, giggling. "How are you feeling, Jilly bean?"

"Better." Jill sniffled.

"Why don't we go get your sister and brother, and just head back to the hotel for the night?" He suggested. "That way, you can rest."

"And daddy will run out and grab us dinner from some place on the boardwalk."

"Sound good?"

Jillian nodded. "French Fries."

He laughed. "Well then, French Fries it is!"

***BREAK***

The next morning, after enjoying a nice breakfast together, the Hudson's agreed on going to one of the amusement parks. Originally, their plan was to spend the day at the water park, but Jillian was still a little freaked out by the liquid since she had been stung previously. So, they decided to give her a break.

"Daddy, what can we go on first?" Jill asked excitedly, walking through the crowd with a limp.

"Well, we can start with the roller coaster…"

"Oh, yeah!"

"I'll be waiting somewhere in this vicinity." Rachel said.

"Ok. Daddy, let's go!" The anxious 5 year old yelled, dragging him off into the other direction.

Rachel chuckled, pushing the stroller over to an empty bench in between a mini log flume and Bumper Cars before sitting down. "Are you gonna go on any rides today, Pay?"

"I want dos." Payton exclaimed, pointing to a concession stand in the distance.

"Oh, you just want your Dippin Dots."

She nodded.

"If I get you some, are you going to share with me?"

"Maybe." Payton teased.

"Maybe?" She questioned. "Well then, I don't know."

"Pwease, mommy?"

Sighing Rachel stood back up. "I guess." Going over to stand in the long line of people, she secretly hoped that nobody stole their seat. "Pay, what kind do you want?"

She shrugged.

"How about Vanilla?"

"No."

"Chocolate?"

"Yucky!"

"Alright." She viewed the list of different flavors in search for something she knew the picky little girl would like. "What about Rainbow?"

"No!"

"What do you mean _no_? You love the Rainbow." She stepped up to the counter, her being next in line, and ordered. "Can I get a small strawberry, please?"

He nodded, flashing her a smile before he began scooping.

"Now, you need to hurry up and choose, Payton, or you're not getting any."

"I want dat one." She stated, talking about the pink and blue dot filled bucket in the freezer.

"You don't like the Cotton Candy, sweetheart. Remember?"

"Yeah, I do."

She sighed again. "Fine. I'll take a small Cotton Candy too."

From behind the register, he told her the amount due as she pulled money from her jean pocket. Paying, she moved the two cups to the holders on the back of the stroller, while she waited for her change. And once it was placed in her open hand, they made their way back over to the same unoccupied bench.

"You better eat that after I bought it, missy." Rachel lifted the 2 and a half year old up beside her before handing her, her dots.

Taking a bite, Payton smiled. "It's yummy."

"Well, that is a big surprise seeing as, you've always refused it." She said, shoving a spoonful into her own mouth before reaching for her ringing phone, which broke the growing silence. "Hello?" She answered. "Where are you at? I figured you'd be off the ride by now… Wait, you're still in line? ... Oh, you're going on something else? … Ok, well then, meet back up with us after. We're in the same exact spot… Love you too, Finn." She hung up when the conversation ended, tossing it into her purse. "Daddy and Jilly should be here soon. Not much longer."

20 minutes later and Rachel was frustrated. Christopher was getting antsy, desperate for a nap, and Payton was a complete mess from shoving her food _through_ her face, which resulted in her clothes being fed as well. Leaning back, she looked around for the pair again, but there was still no sign of Finn or Jillian anywhere.

"Hi, mommy!" Jill shouted, sneaking up behind her.

Rachel jumped, startled. "Oh, hey. I was starting to believe that you ditched us non-riders."

"Sorry, babe." Finn took a deep breath and sat down next to Payton, still a tad dizzy from the last ride.

"So, how was the Octopus?" She asked. "Was it fun?"

Jillian giggled as he closed his eyes, groaning. "Daddy got sick!"

She gasped in shock. "You got sick?"

"Yeah, and he had to run to the bathroom."

"Oh my gosh." She smiled.

"So… Spinny." It was his turn to sigh, as they laughed. "Thanks, ladies."

"Finn, people get sick on rides on a daily basis."

"Never you."

"Actually, I have before. " Rachel admitted. "And ya know what? It's probably more humiliating."

"Why, what happened?"

She shook her head. "I'm not telling you. You'll think I'm weird."

"No, come on. Now, I have to know."

"Me too!" Jill yelled, raising her hand.

"Rach…"

"Fine." She huffed. "When I was 9, my dad's took me to a school carnival and I got sick on the Ferris Wheel. But! In my defense, it was going really fast. Plus, I had just got done pigging out on Nachos."

Finn broke out into a fit of laughter.

"See, my story is a whole lot worse!" She exclaimed, burying her face in her hands. "I am such a dork."

"No, no, no." He chuckled, pulling her arms away. "Honestly, I love you."

"Even  
>though I got sick on the slowest moving ride there is?"<p>

"Yes, even though you got sick on the slowest moving ride there is."

"That really is hysterical, mommy!" Jillian cut back in. "You made my day."

"Oh, thank you, Jilly bean. I'm so glad I was able to keep you entertained."She spoke sarcastically. "So, where to next?"

"More rides!"

"No!" Finn hollered over his daughter's voice. "No, I think I've just about had it for today."

"But, daddy…"

"Jillian, we'll come back another time, ok? Let daddy's stomach catch up with him again." Rachel stated. "Honey, do you want to go back to the hotel, or…"

"Nah, I'm fine." Finn intertwined their fingers together, draping his arm across her shoulders and pushing the stroller with his free one.

"Are you positive?"

"Yeah." He answered. "Just no more rides!"

For the rest of the night, the family trolled the boardwalk, checking everything out. Payton and Jillian even played a few games, winning themselves cool prizes, then got some ice cream. But eventually, Christopher was snoring softly in Rachel's arms, and that's when a miserable toddler took over the stroller, being too overly tired to even walk straight. And a, normally, energetic Jillian was getting very fussy. So, both adults knew it was time to leave.

"Finn, what do you say we order some dinner and bring it back to the hotel with us?" Rachel yawned. "I kind of just want to kick of my shoes and get comfortable already."

He nodded. "I know what you mean."

Discovering a restaurant titled "3 Brother's Pizza" on their way; they stopped in and grabbed a meal before arriving back at their room for 8 o'clock. Putting the baby right to bed and letting Payton sleep in the stroller, Jillian, Finn and Rachel went out onto their balcony, which looked over the beach and boardwalk. They could see many people shopping below and the rides lit up the sky.

"This pizza is really tasty, mommy."

"It is, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I actually had to close my eyes and go mmmm." Jill giggled from her spot in between her parents. "And this trip has been fun. I hope we come back next summer."

"We just might."

"What was your favorite part so far, Jilly?" Finn asked.

"Um… The beach!"

"That's mine too."

"Hold the jellyfish." Rachel giggled.

"Yeah." He nodded in agreement. "So, what are we doing tomorrow? Let's get down to business."

"Haven't got a clue." She answered. "What do you think, Jillian?"

"We should…" The 5 year old looked up from her plate, scratching her head. "I don't know."

"We could always do that water park?" Finn suggested.

"What do you do at a water park, daddy?"

"Well, you can swim in the pool, or go on the water slides."

"Slides?"

"Yup, really big ones."

"Oh! We have to go! Right now."

"No. We all need to get some very much needed rest first." Rachel said. "And then you can ride every slide in the place."

She squealed. "Can't wait!"

***BREAK***

At around 9 the next day, Finn and Rachel got the girls ready to go before dropping Christopher of with Carole and Burt. He was too young to bring along and hard to keep track of, so, he would be chilling with them all day.

Crossing the street, they entered the water park and each got a neon orange wristband to wear, which gave them the power to do anything. Then, finding 2 open chairs, they set all of their stuff down.

"Look at that big blue one!" Jillian jumped up and down excitedly, pointing to the largest slide. "I want to go on it."

"Finn, why don't I take Payton for a couple of hours and do the things that are more age appropriate for her? You can go with Jill, and we will meet back up at the food court for lunch."

"Rachel, we're supposed to spend the day together, not split up again."

"I know, but what's the point?"

"Alright." He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and took Jillian's hand in his. "I'll see you later."

"Daddy!" Payton yelled, capturing his attention before he could walk away.

He smiled, crouching down to her level. "What's up, Pay?"

"Bye." She waved. "I miss you."

"Aww, I'll miss you too, angel." He chuckled, kissing her forehead. "You have a good time playing with mommy."

"In da water."

"Yeah." He cooed, standing back up. "Babe, I'm telling you, our daughter is secretly part fish or was in a past life that we don't know about. I mean, she even has that crazy obsession with the Little Mermaid, where practically every single thing she owns has to have Ariel and friends on it."

"You're ridiculous." Rachel giggled, picking up the 2 and a half year old. "Payton, tell daddy that you're no sea creature. You just really love being in the water, right?"

"Wight." She nodded, making them both laugh.

"Ok, Jilly bean, you ready?" Finn asked.

"Yes!" Jillian exclaimed.

"Make sure you stay with daddy. Do not wonder off." Rachel warned. "It's very crowded, and you will get lost."

"I know, mommy."

"And behave!" She hollered after them before turning toward the toddler in her arms. "So, what's first?"

Payton shrugged, looking around. Finally, she chose the Lazy River, which Rachel approved of. But it wasn't as relaxing as she thought it would be, since Payton kept slipping through her tube and had to be held onto the entire way they floated. Next, there was the kiddy pool, where Payton continuously splashed her mother, and then a good hour was spent just going up and down a mini water slide. Once she got knocked over in the wave pool, she was finished.

"There you guys are!" Finn shouted from a small table in the shade. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry." Rachel set her bag down on the ground, their toddler still glued to her hip. "We lost track of time."

"Did our Payton fall asleep?" He asked, moving the little girl's wet hair out of her face to see her eyes sealed shut.

"Yes, she is 100 percent out like a light." She answered. "Drifted off on our way over here."

"The water must have worn her out."

"It's obvious. She was starting to get super fussy." Rachel explained. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Daddy took me on the Toilet!" Jillian informed her.

"Oh…"

"The Toilet bowl." Finn corrected. "It's this big circular water slide that you spin around in on a tube, and then come out of the hole in the middle."

"Oh! Interesting."

"And what did you do today?" Jill questioned.

"Chase a 2 and a half year old around." She stated. "And might I add, she's very fast. Now, I'm just beat."

"I bet." He chuckled.

"We're not going to leave yet, right, mommy?"

"No! There's still plenty of fun to have."

"And I was thinking… We can show mommy some of the water slides we went on. Maybe force her scared butt onto one or two?"

"Yeah!" Jillian giggled as Rachel laughed sarcastically.

"Joy!"

***BREAK***

"I look like a prune." Finn held his hand up in the air, wiggling his fingers in front of his wife's face.

"You're getting old." Rachel sat down on his lap, intertwining theirs together. "You already have wrinkles."

"Well, if I'm old, then you are too. Because we are the same age, remember?"

"No. You're older than me."

"By 2 months, babe." He said. "Not that big of a difference."

"In my eyes it is." She replied. "I mean, you look like a grandpa, and I still have a cute, baby face."

"Conceited much?" Finn chuckled. "And I do not look like a grandpa."

"Yeah." Rachel nodded, running her fingers through his brown locks. "You even have the gray hair for it."

"I do not have gray hair!" He yelled. "Wait, do I?"

She giggled. "I'm only kidding."

"Ha. Ha. You're so hilarious." He joked, giving her a kiss. "Ya know, if I were to have gray hair though, it would be caused by you?"

"Oh, come on. I'm not _that_ big of a pain."

"That's what you think."

"You're so mean to me."

"No." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, pressing his forehead to hers. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Impossible." Finn whispered, smiling as he leaned in for another kiss. But he was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. "Ugh." He grunted, sprinting back into the hotel room and past his 2 unconscious daughters, only to find his mother standing on the other side.

"Special delivery!" Carole cooed, holding Christopher out for her son to take. "He had a great day! We even got him a new outfit."

"I can see that." He stated, eyeing the navy sweat suit that read "I love Seaside" in bubble letters and was paired with little white socks. "Too bad it's summer."

"It's so adorable, isn't it? I knew you guys would love it." She went on. "And don't worry. It can get really chilly here at night, so we need to bundle up!"

"Right. Well…"

"Hi, Carole!" Rachel cut in, walking in. "How's my baby boy?" She took Christopher off of her husband, ruffling his hair. "Oh, I'm loving this new outfit, buddy."

"Well, I best be going… Burt is treating me to a fancy dinner tonight while Kurt has Kristen." Carole announced, stepping back outside. "Do you have any plans?"

"Finn won't say what, but yes. And we'll most likely just explore the boardwalk some more afterwords."

"Dress warm. It's getting breezy."

"Will do, thanks."

"Bye, mom." He waved, flashing her a small smile before re-closing the door. "We should probably head out soon, Rach."

"Alrighty then, let's gather up the troops and go!" She nodded. "To wherever the heck we are going."

Finn laughed, helping her wake the girls. He had a surprise game of mini golf up his sleeve. He and Rachel hadn't gone in years and Jillian had been asking to try it, so he thought would be nice. Plus, a little healthy competition wouldn't hurt.

"Ok, Pay, the point of this game is to get the ball into the hole." He explained, bending down behind her and overlapping their hands on the club. "So, we're going to swing back…"

"No, daddy." Payton demanded. "I do it."

He held his hands up in defense, backing away as picked up the pink ball, skipped over to the hole, and dropped it in.

"I did it!" She cheered.

Rachel stood off to the side with Chris, chuckling. "Sweetheart, you're supposed to hit the ball in with the club."

"I good." Payton exclaimed, moving to stand next to her mother.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Jill, you're up."

Jillian set her purple ball down on the green, lining her club up beside it. "I'm gonna win."

"Yeah. Good luck with that."

She hit the ball the first time, and it slipped right past the open hole. But on her second try, it went right in.

"Way to go, Jilly!"

The proud 5 year old smirked, giving her mom a high five.

"Your turn, honey." Rachel said. "Let's see if you've still got it."

"Be afraid, Jillian. I am beast at this." Cracking the ball a good one, he put too much power behind it and it bounced off of the fence. Stopping when it hit Rachel's chest. "I guess I lost it instead."

"Oww, Finn!"

"Oh my… Rach, I'm so sorry." He pleaded. "You ok?"

"I thought you said that you are beast at mini golf, daddy?"

He shrugged. "I thought I was."

Rachel found the ball, whipping it back at him. "Well, think again, Frankenteen!"

"Um… Why don't we just move on?" Finn suggested, leading them across a short bridge.

"Now, you have to use the golf club this time, Pay." She reminded her youngest daughter, watching as she repeated her same actions as before. "Nice try, sweetie."

"Is she going to do that every time, mommy?"

She giggled. "Just let your sister go, Jillian."

"Fine. Then, it's me again!" Hitting the ball yet again, she never expected to receive the type of outcome she did. A hole in one. "I got it right in!" She gasped. "Mommy, did you see that?"

"I did! Fantastic shot!" Rachel praised. "The girls are definitely ahead now."

"Because daddy's bad."

"Wow, way to boost my confidence." He mumbled, concentrating hard. He wanted to hit the ball a lot lighter this time around, but it didn't go anywhere. And 5 tries later, he just gave up. "Next!"

By the 8th hole, Rachel learned to just keep Payton's club in hand, because the toddler wasn't going to acknowledge its presence. And after being hit the third time, she knew to duck whenever Finn took a turn.

"Mommy, you should show daddy up." Jillian said. "It'll be easy."

She shook her head. "I don't think me playing is such a great idea."

"No, she's right. Let's see your mad skills, Rachel." Finn took Christopher from her, handing her his club. And she hit the blue ball all the way to the next patch of green, which made him burst out laughing. "And you have the nerve to make fun of _me_?"

"Wait… I can do better!"

"I doubt it. But go ahead! Take another shot anyway." He told her. "Loser buys Italian Ice."

"What?" She questioned. "Why would I agree to that when I know that I am going to lose?"

"I believe in you."

She sighed, knowing exactly what she was doing when she shook his hand to seal the deal. "You're on." 15 minutes later, and she was exiting, her cup of red ice in tow.

"You scammed me!"

"Yes, I did." Rachel laughed, a big smile plastered across her face as she took a bite.

Finn shook his head in disbelief. "Who knew you are such a pro at mini golf?"

"Well… Me."

"I realize that now, you little trickster."

"Oh, please. You love me."

"And I may just have to re-think that."

Rachel gasped. "I was going to be kind and share, but you're not getting any now."

"Daddy, I came in second place, right?" Jillian asked through her blue stained teeth, which was caused by her Blue Raspberry flavored ice.

"Yes, you did." He answered. "Seems you've inherited your mother's skills."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I can't really tell who Payton took after in the game, because what she was doing was not playing mini golf."

"I win." Payton stated between spoonfuls.

Finn laughed. "You win the award for player, who didn't play right."

"And you win the award for worstest player, daddy."

Rachel nodded in agreement with her daughter.

"What is this, bully Finn day?" He questioned. "Christopher, buddy, you're supposed to be defending me here."

Christopher sat in his stroller, giggling, as he sucked on one of his plastic toys.

"Oh, I understand, Gilbert comes first."

Rachel stood up, chuckling as she threw her garbage away. "Well, that did the trick. Thanks so much for the treat, babe."

"Whatever." He grumbled. "I totally let you win anyway."

"Right." She smiled to herself, tightening her thin, yellow cardigan around her frame. "Are we ready to get going yet?"

"Yeah, I'm done." Jill announced, tossing her empty container into the trash. "Onward!"

The clan made their way up and down the very long boardwalk for the majority of the night from then on, just sightseeing and shopping around. The kids were no longer on a type of schedule while they were on vacation, so Rachel and Finn weren't worried about the time. Though, none of them were showing signs of being even the slightest bit tired anyway.

At one of the clothing stores they stopped into, an airbrush stand was spotted in the back by Jillian. She thought their work was neat, and decided that she wanted a customized shirt. So, explaining the design to the artist, she got a brand new hoodie. One that read her name on the back, in pink, and "Dancer", with a pair of ballet slippers on the front. For she loved that activity and had just started taking classes.

Then, both adults knew it was coming, once Payton saw what her sister bought, she had to have one too. So, Rachel informed the guy about her like for the underwater theme and the princesses, and he airbrushed Ariel and friends on the front in bright neon colors. Her name was also printed on the back, in big bubble letters.

By the time they finished signing the receipt, it was already 10 o'clock, but they all still had enough energy to go into the arcade, which had the girls in awe over the prizes in the claw machines. So, Finn ran off to get change for a twenty dollar bill.

"Mommy, I wan one." Payton pointed into the machine right next to them, which was filled with, of course, sea creature stuffed animals.

"Alright. Well, we'll wait until daddy comes back with… Oh! Hold on. I might actually have some money." Rachel set the 2 and a half year old down on her feet, rummaging through her pockets for the quarters she had gotten back when she paid for something else earlier that day. "Which one do you want, honey?"

"Dat one." She answered, showing her mother the sparkly, yellow octopus in the middle.

"Oh, that's right. You don't have one of those at home in your collection." She slipped the first quarter into the slot, rubbing her hands together before gripping onto the controller. She was usually very lucky when it came to claw machines. She always won. And she thought that this one in particular would be very simple to master, since it was built for a kid. But not so much. Completely missing the stuffed animal she was aiming for, she grabbed hold of a sparkly, purple crab instead, which was just dropped to the ground because Payton had her heart set on the Octopus. "Don't fret, Pay. Still got 2 quarters left." Feeding the machine another, the next time around was just a fail. So, she kissed the last in hopes, and ended up with a sparkly, green starfish. Thankfully, her husband returned only moments later.

"What do _you_ guys want to do?" He asked curiously. "Because I really want to play…"

"I am staying right here." A determined Rachel cut him off, ripping a quarter out from in between his fingers. "Payton wants that darn Octopus, and now I am getting frustrated. For some odd reason, I can't win."

"Do you want me to try?"

"No! I need to do this." She turned back to the machine, failing again and again. The fifth time was a success though. A sparkly, pink sea horse popped out, but it was quickly blown off.

"Babe, I might be able to get it."

"Shut up, Finn!" She yelled, concentrating.

He sighed, handing her, yet another, quarter.

A couple other tourists had gathered around her by the eighth attempt, watching her fight. And they cheered when she lifted a sparkly, orange turtle up in the air. But she was not impressed, nor was Payton satisfied. So, her being her competitive self, refused to give up.

The final quarter that Finn allowed himself to give, was kissed by both the toddler and her mother before it was put into the evil machine. It was the last chance. And Rachel kept her eyes on the claw, her face squashed against the glass as she viewed the goal from every angle. Releasing it when it was positioned just right.

Rachel sighed with relief as the Octopus was sent down the shoot and the small crowd clapped. Smiling at her own defeat, she crouched to her daughter's level, and handed it over. "Here is your sparkly, yellow Octopus, Payton."

Payton returned the gesture, hugging her mom. "Tanks, mommy."

"You're so welcome." She replied, kissing the little girl's forehead. "Now, I can breathe again."

"Wow. I knew that you always strive hard for things…" Finn picked up Payton, who clung happily onto her new friend, as his wife threw the neglected urchins into the basket attached to the stroller. "But I never thought that you were so ambitious." He said. "Especially, over something like this."

"Can it, Hudson!" She snapped.

"Payton, what are you going to name your Octopus?" Jillian asked.

"Finn." Payton giggled.

"Oh, that's funny." He chuckled. "But I'm honored."

Rachel fixed the blanket wrapped around a sleeping Chris, standing back up. "Well, I apologize for making you wait. What do you want to do now?"

"Ski ball!" Jill skipped, leading them over to the correct area. "And I want daddy to play with me."

"Aww, I would, baby." He admitted, swaying on his heels with a yawning Payton still in his arms. "But my hands are kind of full. Mommy, I'm sure, would be excited to play with you though."

"But I want to play with someone that I know I can beat." The 5 year old whined.

Finn was just a tad offended by that comment. "Oh, thanks."

Rachel laughed. "Trust me. You'll win, Jill."

"Ok." Sticking out her hand, she asked for more money.

The game started when all of the balls rolled down and Jillian took the first shot, scoring 10,000 points. Rachel threw hers second, but it wasn't worth anything because it went into someone else's lane. She really didn't lie when she said Jill would win. Because she stunk. Absolutely terrible. And Jillian actually did win, having a score that was 50,000 more points than her mother.

"That wasn't playing!" Finn exclaimed. "Honestly, I have no idea what that was."

"I never said that I was an expert."

"Yeah, you're far from that."

Rachel gasped.

"What do I win?" Jillian questioned.

"You, my dear, win a big, sloppy kiss from your mother." She took the petite girl in her arms, spinning her around and kissing her cheek, which made her laugh hysterically.

"Ya know, ladies, I still have quite a few quarters left in my pocket… What do you say we go have a little more fun?"

Jill nodded. "Yeah!"

They left the arcade at 11:30 on the dot, and wondered into a candy store on their way back to the hotel. Finn and Rachel couldn't help but laugh when they saw the rows and rows of salt water taffy lined up on the nearest wall, thinking back to high school when they had sold so much of it to get to nationals. Neither of them had had a piece since, so they filled a bag with different flavors. And then, Finn spotted the case of fudge…

"Yumm." He murmured, shoving the peanut butter chunk into his mouth as soon as he stepped foot out of the shop.

Jill giggled, munching on some strawberry taffy.

"You don't know what you're missing, babe." He said to his wife, who didn't like the sweet. "That's fine though. More for me."

Jillian had whined, insisting on playing one more game that night. Already have won various other prizes in the arcade, she was now shooting for a live one.

"If you get a ball in one of the bowls, you win a real fish!" Jill exclaimed, dragging her parents over to the kiosk. "I want a fish."

Finn paid for a basket of the little, white, plastic balls as Rachel lifted their daughter up on the ledge, so that she could see, and stood behind her so that she didn't fall. Then, the 5 year old started whipping the balls, all of them bouncing off the glass. And it wasn't until the second basket, that Rachel's phone started to ring.

"Hello?" She answered. "Oh, hi, Carole… No, we have nothing planned for tomorrow yet. Why? … Ok, yeah, that's fine. I'll let him know… Alright, bye."

"What did my mom want?" He asked, as she hung up.

"She called to tell me that she would like to spend some quality time with her boys tomorrow." She explained. "So, you and Kurt have to meet her down in the hotel lobby at 8."

"What? No, I don't want to go."

"You have to."

"But this trip was supposed to be about us!"

"We still have plenty of time." Rachel stated. "Finn, give her one day. Because once vacation is over, she and Burt will be flying back to Ohio and they won't see us again for another couple of months. She misses you."

"Fine." He agreed. "But I refuse to have fun."

"Oh, stop it, Finn."

"Mommy, look!" Jillian yelled, grabbing their attention. "I got one in!"

"Awesome!"

A lady that worked there flashed her a small smile, handing her a ticket that read "1 Beta Fish". "Congrats!"

"Thank you." Finn said.

"Where's my fish?" Jill questioned.

"Honey, the ticket allows us to come back for it before we leave."

"We can't keep it in our hotel room, Jilly." Rachel informed her. "It might not survive."

She nodded sadly, being put back down.

"Alright. It's getting pretty late."

They walked back, putting the 2 kids to bed, before Finn took a still wide awake Jillian for a midnight swim. And Rachel watched them goof around in the pool from their rooms balcony, laughing. All in all, it was a pleasurable night.

***BREAK***

The following morning, after Finn left, Rachel and Blaine decided to take the kids back to the beach, where they built a big sand castle and played a few rounds of volleyball. Then, they went out to eat, went on the sky ride, and did a little shopping. A very busy day had been had, so come dinner time, everyone was extremely tired and ready for bed.

"Sleep tight, Pay." Rachel kissed the toddlers forehead and pulled the sheets up over her lifeless body, before making her own self comfortable on the mattress across the room. Turning on the TV, she shut off the light and was completely unconscious minutes later. And she did not intend on getting back up, until her phone vibrated with a message.

**_Meet me on the pier at 7 o'clock._**

**_ FROM: Finn_**

Checking the time, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and jumped up. It was 6, she couldn't believe she was out that long, and she had to get ready! So, fixing her curls and changing her outfit, she had Blaine stay with Jillian, Payton and Christopher, and she strut her way down the boardwalk.

Finn was nowhere to be found though, and she was left with no answers. Her hair and pink sun dress blowing in the violent wind while she waited. It was already 7:10…

"No peeking." He snuck up behind her, whispering in her ear as he placed a blind fold over her eyes.

"W-What's going on?" Rachel asked curiously, being pulled along. And it wasn't until she tripped and fell on the beach that she finally realized where they were. "Wait, wait, wait!" She shouted, ditching the shoes. It was no parade trying to walk through the sand in those heels.

The sound of waves crashing against the shoreline grew louder and louder as they neared, and she soon felt the cold water washing over her bare feet. "You aren't making an attempt to drown me, Finn? Because I took 7 years of swimming lessons…"

He cut her off with a kiss, untying the material around her head as he did so. "You're rambling."

"Sorry." She opened her eyes, only to find a boat floating in front of her. "What's this?"

"Well, since I was practically kidnapped today…" Finn locked his arms around her waist, holding her close. "I figured that some alone time with my beautiful wife would be appropriate."

"For us?"

He nodded. "We'll be dining off land tonight."

"I-I don't know what to say…"

He chuckled, surprising her by picking her up bridal style and sitting her inside. Then climbing in for himself, he turned on the motor and led them away from the shore, deep out into the blue ocean.

"I am the luckiest girl in the world." Rachel giggled, lying down on her stomach on the small deck, as he grabbed the picnic basket. "So, what have you cooked up for us, Mr. Hudson?"

"Take out." He answered, reaching in for the containers of food. "To start our meal off, I have here some Shrimp Salad. Then, Pasta with Clams. And for dessert, Chocolate covered Strawberries, which really doesn't go with the whole seafood thing, but I know you'll love."

"It all sounds so perfect, Finn." She smiled. "Thank you."

"Hey, what kind of husband would I be if I didn't do something special for my wife every now and then?" He questioned. "Men, we're like entitled to it."

Rachel laughed, digging into her dish. "Mmmm… This tastes amazing, by the way."

"Yeah, I ordered from this one restaurant on the boardwalk."

"It's delicious."

"Well, I'm glad you like it."

She nodded. "So, what did you guys do today?"

"Just some sightseeing." Finn replied. "What about you?"

"Blaine Warbler and I took the kids to the beach… And ya know, I never knew he was such a good time. I'm always with Kurt."

"That's nice."

The two love birds finished up their dinner in peace, just talking and enjoying each other's company. No kids around to bother them or cry. It was very romantic.

"Oh, that was so yummy!" Rachel exclaimed, as Finn fed her the last chocolate covered strawberry. "But now, I am so full." She continued, rolling onto her back and looking up at the stars. "I feel like I am going to explode."

"No way are you quitting on me." He pushed himself up before taking her hands, pulling her up as well. "Now, we dance."

She giggled again. "There's no music."

"We'll make our own." Finn began to sway with her slowly, singing softly. "Highway run... Into the midnight sun… Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind."

"Restless hearts…" Rachel joined in. "Sleep alone tonight… Just wondering where I am, lost without you." She was about to start the next verse, when he suddenly switched the tune.

"You put the boom, boom into my heart… Set my soul sky high when your loving starts… Jitterbug into my brain, it goes a bang, bang, bang till my feet do the same… But something's bugging me, something ain't right… My best friend told me what you did last night… You left me sleeping, in my bed… I was dreaming, but I should've been with you instead!" He quickly twirled her around, making her throw her head back in laughter. "Wake me up, before you go-go… Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo… Wake me up, before you go-go… I don't want to miss it when you hit that high… Wake me up, before you go-go… Cause I'm not planning on going solo… Wake me up, before you go-go… Take me dancing tonight…"

Rachel couldn't contain her smile, the song bringing back so many memories. It was the duet they did for prom their senior year.

"Come on, baby… Move in tight…" He sang, pressing his forehead to hers. "We'll go dancing tomorrow night… It's cold out there, but it's warm in bed… They can dance, and we'll stay home instead!" He grew quiet again, almost to a whisper as he started another song they both knew so well. "Will we ever, say the words we're felling…? Reach down underneath, and tear down all the walls… Will we ever, have our happy ending…? Or will we forever, only be pretending?"

"We got our happy ending, Finn." She said.

It was his turn to smile brightly. "I just can't stop loving you… I just can't stop loving you… And if I stop, then tell me just what will I do… I just can't stop loving you." Dipping her, he changed the song yet again. "Don't go breakin my heart."

"I couldn't if I tried."

"Oh, honey, if I get restless…"

She shook her head. "Baby, you're not that kind."

Finn ended their little performance with a passionate kiss on the lips, while he still had her in his embrace.

"Was I rambling again?" She asked.

"No. I just couldn't resist."

She returned his gesture, locking her arms around his neck. And before they knew it, it was 9 o'clock. They had to get the boat back, even though, they did not want their wonderful night to end. So, they headed back to the beach, and took a walk along the edge of the water to waste more time together.

"So, are you having fun this week?"

"Yes! A lot actually. And this getaway has really helped." Rachel stated. "But to be honest, I'm ready to go back to New York."

"You are?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"But this was a good vacation, right?"

"Best. One. Yet!"

**SONGS USED: PRETENDING- GLEE, FAITHFULLY- JOURNEY, WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO(I COULDN'T RESIST)- WHAM, I JUST CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU- MICHAEL JACKSON, AND DON'T GO BREAKIN MY HEART- ELTON JOHN ANS KIKI DEE.**


	12. FOURTH OF JULY

July 4th. The day everyone comes together to celebrate America's independence. Also, the day the Hudson's hold their annual cookout, which Finn was super pumped up for. His wife though, not so much. Rachel always tried way too hard to make everything perfect. She even bought them all new red, white, and blue outfits to match the color dyed food she made. Enough said, she was completely insane.

"Daddy!" Payton peered around the corner, stomping her feet into the kitchen in order to make her sneakers light up.

Finn turned away from the counter and crouched down just in time to catch the toddler in his embrace. "Hey, Pay!"

"I gots a firework." She informed him, pointing to the patriotic print on her shirt.

"I know, I see." He replied. "They're pretty cool."

"Finn!" Rachel's voice sounded from upstairs, in a rather unpleasant tone.

"Oh, no." He whispered, quickly standing up straight and resting the little body weight his daughter did have, on his hip. "Here comes the beast."

Payton giggled.

"Finn." Rachel entered, a crying baby in tow. "What are you wearing?"

"Clothes…" He tried.

"Not the stuff that I purchased for you." She sighed. "Finn, today is a very special holiday, and I want the kids to have fun."

He rolled his eyes. "Rach, they'll have a good time whether I wear that stupid, blue, puppy dog shirt or not."

"It is not stupid, it's cute."

"Honestly, no." He stated. "I am wearing the red one that I currently have on."

She placed her miserable son in his high chair, shooting her insensitive husband a nasty glare. "You are so selfish!" Then, she stormed out.

"Aww, Chris, I know why you're upset, buddy." Finn cooed. "It's because mommy dressed you in that ugly, girl outfit, isn't it?" Sticking his finger into the recently prepared party dip, he dabbed it on the boy's shirt. "Well, I got your back. Since those kittens don't even look manly." He stated. "Rachel!"

"Yes?" She hollered from the living room.

"Chris spilled."

"He did what?" She questioned.

Hearing her footsteps near, Finn panicked and shoved his hand in his pocket. "Shhh, Pay… That wasn't me."

Payton nodded, covering her mouth.

"What happened?" Rachel asked, returning with a loud gasp in response to the mess. "Oh, Chris! What am I going to put you in now?" Grabbing a napkin, she tried wiping off the material. "Wait a minute… Finn?" She stopped curiously. "If the dip is over on the table, how did he get a hold of it?" Hands on hips, she gave the giant her famous death stare. "Someone must have given it to him."

It was his turn to gasp, looking to his daughter. "Payton! How dare you give your brother the dip, after I specifically told you not to!" He shook his head in disgust. "I told her, Rach."

Payton shrugged innocently. "I di'n do it."

"That's what I thought." Rachel said. "So, the culprit must be…" She pulled his free hand out from inside his pocket, only to find his sticky fingers. "Finn Hudson."

"Fine, it was me." He admitted. "But in my defense, Christopher didn't like the shirt either."

She fought to stifle a laugh. "I can't believe you smeared dip on our child! And then, had the nerve to blame it on sweet Payton." The things he did sometimes…

"Jill would have totally gone along with it."

"Just go get the grill started, you imbecile." She smiled, pushing him toward the sliding, glass door. "Your parents will be here shortly."

"Alright." Finn chuckled, kissing her cheek before he went outside.

Rachel then carried Christopher back up to the nursery, quickly changing him into a white polo and jean shorts. She still had so much to do, in very little time. And a wardrobe revise was not a part of her plan. Neither was a whiney 5 year old.

"Mommy, I want to go swimming." Jillian uttered, watching her father struggle with a package of hotdogs through the window.

"We are eating first, honey, once everyone arrives." Rachel informed her eldest pain in the butt.

"But I already have my suit on!" She exclaimed. "It's going to waste!"

Rachel giggled at her dramatics, continuing to prepare different dishes at the counter. "It is not, silly."

Finn stepped back into the air conditioned house, only seconds later, following an energetic Payton, who immediately ran to hug her mother's legs. "The weather is _hot_ today." He breathed, collapsing onto a chair.

"95 degrees, according to the news."

"Wow." He whispered in astonishment. "Better stay hydrated."

She nodded in agreement. "So, are you girls excited to see the fireworks later?"

"Yeah!" Jill bounced anxiously on her toes, braids bobbing along with. "They're going to be awesome!"

"Indeed, they are pretty cool."

"How long has it been, Rach?" Finn questioned. "7? Maybe 8 years, since we went to see them together?"

"Definitely awhile." She stated.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Jillian yelled, as she scurried away.

Finn jumped up, sprinting after her. "I'm right behind you!"

She opened the front door and came face to face with Carole, her grin growing at the sight. "Grandma!"

"My, my, my… Is that really Jillian Hudson?" Carole asked Burt. "It can't be!"

Jill giggled, charging at the older woman.

"Oh, I missed you, sweetheart." She wrapped both arms around her granddaughter, squeezing her tight. "How are things in the Dance world?" She asked, carrying her into the kitchen.

"Good."

Finn waved to Kristen as she walked by, trailing behind their parents, but was rudely ignored. "Well, hello, to you, too." He grumbled, before following the trio.

"Rachel!" Carole moved swiftly across the freshly, mopped tile to greet the younger woman with a peck on the cheek. "Hi, sweetie."

"Hey." Rachel replied. "I'm so glad you guys made it."

"Of course! We wouldn't miss this." Burt said, tossing a tittering Payton over his shoulder.

"The chance to see such an adorable, little tike, he means." Carole cooed, gently tapping her grandson on the nose. "Oh, you're getting so big, Christopher." She went on, scooping him up.

Finn still stood there silently in the shadows as he viewed, slightly offended by their lack of acknowledgement. "Sure, just forget Finn." He finally spoke, grabbing some attention. "He isn't important. Only flesh and blood."

Kristen and Rachel both rolled their eyes, Carole reaching to comfort the neglected.

"I'm sorry, baby." She apologized, peppering his face with kisses.

"Now, you don't have to smother me." He shoved her away, trying to block the incoming lipstick stains. "It's traumatizing."

The group laughed then, and Rachel suggested that they go outside to catch up while they wait for the other guests to arrive. So, with the hauling of a few necessary snacks and ice cold drinks, they found themselves relaxing on the shady porch, circling around the unlit fire pit.

"The wedding is another hot topic we need to discuss." Carole began, once quiet, taking a sip of her lemonade.

"Yes." Burt agreed. "Remember, the ceremony was scheduled for the end of the month."

Rachel nodded.

"As for flying arrangements, I would like to travel together as a family."

Finn groaned, throwing his head back in annoyance. "Mom, can't we just meet you in Rome? It'll be so much easier for us."

"We prefer to avoid taking the layover route." Rachel explained. "Especially, with the kids."

"They get restless." He added.

Carole sighed in understanding. "Fine. But everyone, including Kurt and Blaine, better reside in that city on time."

"Don't worry." Finn assured them, looking toward his wife. "Mrs. Punctual here, will make all her lists and have everything in order."

Rachel slapped his arm, quickly getting up to answer the ringing door. "Watch yourself, Finn Hudson." She teased, heading back through the house.

The buzzing hadn't stopped, so she rushed, only to find Noah, already clad in his floaties, standing on the other side. Figures, he stared off into space, pressing the button repeatedly.

"Puck, stop!" Quinn warned.

"Oh!" He snapped out of his daze. "Berry, your day just got brighter."

"Right, because I consider you to be the highlight." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"You love me."

She chuckled, leading the Puckerman clan out to the porch. "In your dreams."

"You wish." He shot back, sharing a fist bump with his best friend. "So, who's ready to get their swim on?"

"Later, dude." Finn said, receiving a frown in response.

"But…"

Puck didn't have a pool of his own, so he counted on theirs to cool himself off during summer.

"Please?" Jill sat Indian style on the nearest patch of grass, hands clasping together while she begged. "_Please_,can we go in now?"

Rachel caved. "Fine, have fun."

Her atmosphere filled with cheer, the majority of them quickly running inside to change before taking advantage of the water. She had been hoping that they were hungry, since plenty was made, but not even Blaine wanted a bite. As soon as the Andersons arrived, he and Abby jumped in on a game of Marco Polo.

"Mommy?" Payton toddled over to where her mother relaxed with the other adults, dry, but crying.

Rachel turned, still laughing from a joke Kurt told, and leaned forward on her chair, suddenly growing concerned. "What's the matter, Pay?"

She sniffled, watching the other kids hit a beach ball back and forth in the pool. "I wanna pway, too."

"You're allowed."

She shook her head. "Daddy weft me."

"Aww, honey." Rachel used her thumbs to wipe away the toddler's falling tears before locating her husband off in the distance. "Finn!" She yelled.

He popped up from under the clear blue, shaking out his hair. "What?"

"Forget something important?" She questioned, nodding toward their very distraught daughter.

Finn's heart broke at the sight. "Payton." He chuckled sadly, lifting himself to sit on the pool's edge as Rachel carried her down. "I am so sorry." Taking her into his arms, he dropped a kiss above her pigtail. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Payton smiled. "Yeah."

"Alright!" He cooed, giving her a high-five.

The next pair to make an appearance was Mercedes and Donavan, her homemade Macaroni Salad in tow. They had stopped in to say a quick hello, since they hadn't been over in awhile, and their presence was enjoyed greatly. But sadly, they wouldn't be staying long, for they were due to attend another party at dusk.

"I've got amazing news!"Mercedes announced, pulling her fellow divas into the kitchen, where nobody could hear them talk.

"Spill!" Kurt demanded.

She hesitated, her audience anxiously leaning in closer. "I'm pregnant."

Quinn gasped. "No."

"Seriously?" Rachel asked.

Mercedes nodded. "I found out yesterday."

"Oh my… Cedes!" Kurt squealed, hugging the mama to be. "Congratulations."

"We're so happy for you." Quinn said.

"But Donnie doesn't know yet, so try not to let it slip."

"Wait, you didn't tell him?" Rachel questioned in shock. "He should be the first to know!"

"Well, I planned on doing it tonight, at his sister's place." Mercedes explained. "When our family is present."

"That'll be so sweet!"

They continued to gossip until Finn walked in with his spatula and claimed that the food was ready to be enjoyed. Everyone then gathered around outside and ate their dinner by light of tiki torches and the fire pit, just talking and catching up until it was time for the fireworks.

"Come on, daddy!" Jill shouted, struggling to pull him down the sidewalk. "We're going to miss them!"

Finn chuckled. "Relax, Jilly bean." He caught her in his arms and lifted her up onto his shoulders, resting his hands on her dangling legs so that she wouldn't fall. "They don't start for another 45 minutes."

"That long?" She questioned.

"Well, we have to get there early in order to get a good seat." Rachel explained as she led the way to Central Park with Christopher's stroller.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to get stuck sitting behind someone as big as your dad, right?" Kurt asked, him and Blaine swinging Payton in between them.

"Hey!" Finn shouted, slightly offended.

Abigail giggled from her spot on Burt's back, reaching over to pat his head. "Don't worry. I love you _and_ your height, Uncle Finn."

"Thanks, Abby."

The grass was packed with people, but they still managed to find an open spot for their group to lay down blankets and sit together. Finn got comfortable next to his wife, who held Christopher nicely on her lap, while Payton stood at his feet. Jillian was propped up on her elbows near Abigail in front of their grandparents, and Kurt cuddled with Blaine on the opposite end. All attention was directed toward the sky when they heard a loud boom.

"Mommy, did you see that purple one? It was so pretty!" Jill yelled in amazement. "Check out the blue, daddy!"

"We see them, honey." Rachel laughed, watching the 5 year old's reaction.

As the finale approached, Payton cried, her hands held tightly against her ears in desperation to escape the noise. She was petrified, afraid to even move.

"Come here, sweetheart." Finn cooed.

The 2 year old darted for her father, burying her face in his shirt. He rubbed her back while he whispered soothing words, but as long as the fireworks continued, so did she.

"Look at the little pink ones, Pay!" Rachel tried to gently pry her daughter away from her husband, but she wouldn't budge. "It's ok, honey."

"Ooos" and "Awws" filled the air as the crowd clapped and made a fuss. The show ended with a gold firework that resembled a waterfall, and cheers.

"That was so cool!" Jillian exclaimed, bouncing up and down. "I can't wait for next year!"

"I'm glad that you liked them." Rachel said.

"Christopher could care less." Finn peeked at his sleeping son, chuckling before he set his calmer daughter back on her feet. "And Payton's just happy they're over."

"Best 4th of July ever!"


	13. DANCING QUEEN

_**This chapter was inspired by the TV show Dance Moms, but I do not own anything.**_

"I don't know if they've heard about it or not, but there was a new way of transportation invented… The elevator!"

"Are you kidding me, Finn?" Rachel questioned, her husband stopping to take a breather while she did so. "You can run around a football field all day, but can't walk up a few flights of stairs?"

"A few? Rach, there's like, 20!"

She rolled her eyes, chuckling. "You're such a cry baby."

"Don't make fun of me." He whined. "I'm getting old."

"Hardly." Rachel smiled and opened the door to the top floor of their daughter's dance studio, where they entered quietly and patiently awaited the end of her rehearsal. Parents sat in the back of the room and watched.

"So, what exactly are they doing right now?" Finn asked, watching as the girls spun on their toes and leaped. He tried hard to keep up, really. But honestly, he was far from ever being a dance dad. He basically just went for support.

"It's called Ballet, honey."

Rachel was the complete opposite of her partner, a total dance mom. She went to every practice, sewed every costume, and sometimes even learned the moves in case her little girl needed any help. At first, she'd hoped that Jill would follow in her footsteps and want to be on Broadway, but dancing was proved to be her passion. It was her turn to shine, so Rachel was 100 percent committed to now making her dreams come true.

"I always thought that Jill took Tap…" He trailed off, confused. "Yeah, because we made the mistake of buying her those very loud, deafening shoes."

"She takes both classes." Rachel answered, getting annoyed. "And Hip Hop."

His eyes grew wide. "That's a lot to take on, Rach. Especially, for a 5 year old."

"I know, but she enjoys doing it."

"We need to limit her."

"She's fine." Rachel squeezed his hand reassuringly when he opened his mouth to protest. "She's _happy_."

Just then, Miss Katie finished for the day and the parents circled around for closing announcements. Sadly, she would not be able to attend their upcoming competition due to personal reasons, but hired a friend to take her place.

"Hello, my name is Veronica and I will be working with your children this week." The woman introduced herself, standing before the small group. "I have been teaching for 30 years, and I know what I am doing. "

Finn got an eerie feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"That means I do not want to hear any complaints or see any tears. My criticism is for benefit only." Ms. Veronica explained. "Nationals is on Saturday, so I expect students to be here perfecting all hours in order to perform flawlessly. No exceptions."

"Is she serious?" Someone whispered.

"It is crunch time, folks!" She shouted, dismissing them. "Get a good night's rest."

"Not being pushed too hard, huh?" Finn questioned his wife, and she sighed in frustration.

"Finn-"

"Daddy!" Jillian sprinted over to where her parents resided, jumping into her father's arms. "You came to pick me up?"

"Yes, I did." He replied, kissing her temple. "Coach let the team out early today."

"Did you watch me dance?"

He nodded, placing her back on her feet. "You looked amazing, sweetheart."

"Thanks." She giggled.

"Are you ready to get going, Jilly Bean?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah." She slipped her pink backpack on and took her parents' hands, descending the stairs. "I'm hungry."

"Me, too!" Finn chimed in, Rachel laughing.

"You guys are _always _hungry."

*BREAK*

The next morning, Rachel and Finn were up bright and early, her making breakfast while he read the sports section of the newspaper at the bar. It was just another busy day.

"Jillian has a costume fitting this afternoon and I have an interview, so I need you to be there."

"Aww, Rach. "He groaned. "I don't know what to do at those things."

"Just make sure that everything goes ok." She explained. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Fine." He grumbled, taking a drink of his coffee.

Just then, Jill came skipping in, hair tie and brush in hand. "Mommy, help."

Rachel set a bowl of oatmeal down on the counter in front of her daughter before beginning to pull the 5 year old's long locks up into a tight bun. "So, what are your plans for Payton and Christopher today?" She questioned her husband through a mouth full of bobby pins.

He shrugged. "Maybe Central Park?"

"Just don't forget to stop by the grocery store." She reminded him. "The list is on the refrigerator."

"Right."

"Ok…" She finished her daughter's hairdo off with a little hairspray. "You're done."

Jill smiled. "Let's go!" Shoving one last bite of food in her mouth, she hopped off the stool and scurried to get her shoes on. Not even 2 minutes later she was out the door, on her way to yet another lesson.

Finn had gone back to bed shortly after, obtaining a few more hours of sleep before waking the other kids and going to the playground. That gave him just enough time to fit in their daily dose of fun, go shopping, and make it to the studio by 3.

"Nice of you to join us." Ms. Veronica sneered, Finn arriving only _10_ minutes early.

"Sorry, I had to-"

"Just be here on time from now on!" She snapped, turning away.

He sat Payton down beside him, keeping a content Chris on his lap, and double checked his watch. He could have sworn…

"You're not late."A fellow parent spoke. "She just likes being rude to people."

"Oh."

Jillian then strode out in a turquoise leotard, grabbing his attention. It was for Ballet, he guessed, and Ms. Veronica demanded that her hair be in a French twist (whatever that was). There was so much to remember for one competition and he didn't understand. Why couldn't the girls wear jeans and a t-shirt to perform? What's the purpose of all the rhinestones? And how much money was this unnecessary attire costing him?

"Swarovski beads must also be sewn onto the skirt for sparkle." Ms. Veronica added.

"Swervki, _what_?" He thought.

Thankfully, Rachel appeared before the next outfit change, saving his butt. He was rather impressed with himself, though, for how long he paid attention.

"Now, sequins will have to be glued on to this one." Veronica led her army back into the room, all of them wearing camouflage bandeau tops and matching miniskirts. "Preferably black."

Finn nearly fainted. "Excuse me, but where the heck is the rest of my kid's costume?"

"This is it." She answered.

"She's going out on stage in that?"

Jillian nodded, happily twirling around in place. "It's sassy, daddy!"

"No way."He shook his head in disapproval, leaning back on his chair.

Rachel sighed. "Finn…"

"Our daughter is 5 years old." He argued. "I am _not_ letting her wear something so inappropriate."

"Well, Mr. Hudson, until you work for me, your opinion doesn't matter." Ms. Veronica stated dryly before continuing. "So anyway, high ponytail with curls!"

*BREAK*

Rachel was sent back the following day to pick up her daughter, a defeated Finn refusing to do so. And when she got there, Jill was rehearsing her solo routine, which was lyrical. She pranced and leaped across the hardwood, smiling brightly until… her slipper untied. She fell forcefully to the floor with a loud screech and Ms. Veronica turned off the music, storming over to where the 5 year old laid in pain.

"What did I say about giving a hundred percent?" She questioned angrily. "I'm not getting anything from you!"

"Sorry." Jillian struggled to stand back up, bursting into tears at the slightest bit of pressure put on her ankle. "Oww!" She clutched her foot, Rachel rushing over to examine her swelling foot. "Mommy, it hurts."

"Shhh, you're alright." Rachel comforted. "Let me see."

Ms. Veronica had had enough, kicking the nearest stack of cd cases as a result. "That's it, I am pulling this solo!"

"No!" Jill cried. "I can do it."

She shook her head in disgust, turning to leave. "You're obviously too weak."

"I beg your pardon?" Rachel stood upright, preparing to fight. "You will not talk to her that way."

"I speak the truth."

"But I don't recall ever signing a contract, giving you permission to." She said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get my daughter checked out before your enormous ego does anymore damage."

"Whatever." Veronica growled. "I have a low tolerance policy for wimps, anyway."

Rachel bit back a nasty comment, deciding to be the bigger person and just take Jillian to the car instead. She then rang Finn, who met them at the hospital as soon as he could, only to find out that her ankle was badly sprained. The doctor suggested that she get plenty of rest and prescribed medication. Whether or not she could compete that weekend was still debatable, though, for she could barely squeeze on a shoe at that point. It all depended on how quick of a healer she was in the end.

"I never liked that lady." Finn admitted, carrying Jill into the house and sitting her down on the couch. "We should start a mob."

Rachel laughed, placing a sleepy Christopher in his play pen. "Just go get some ice."

"Mommy, how am I going to dance tomorrow?" Jillian asked curiously.

"You're not going to dance tomorrow, honey." She answered. "You need a break."

"But Ms. Veronica will yell at me!"

"Ms. Veronica can kiss my dairy air." Finn joked, returning with a packet of ice for the battle scar. "I can't believe she had the nerve to call and accuse us of raising our children wrong."

Rachel snorted. "What does she know about raising a child, when she doesn't even have any?"

"Exactly!" He plopped himself down on the carpet, building block skyscrapers with Payton. "And we did a darn good job, Rach. Us being so young and all."

She nodded in agreement, smiling. They had reason to be proud of themselves.

"Ugh, this thing is so itchy!" Jill complained, removing her splint.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, missy?" Rachel playfully smacked her hands away, reattaching the velcro. "Do you want to get better or not?"

She stuck her tongue out and folded her arms atop her chest, pouting.

"You know, if you keep doing stuff like that, your face will eventually get stuck." Finn teased.

"Will not!"

"Will to."

"Will-"

"Alright, you guys, knock it off." Rachel chuckled. "How about we just relax tonight, heat up some popcorn and watch a few movies?"

"The Wittle Mermaid!" Payton cheered, Finn groaning in exhaustion.

"Again, Pay?"

The 2 and a half year old nodded, climbing onto his lap for a hug.

"You're lucky I love you." He cooed, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

"Wuv you, too, daddy."

*BREAK*

The competition had approached rather quickly, leaving the Hudson's in a hurry. Not only did Finn and Rachel have to pack for themselves, but for 3 kids, too. She mainly focused on making sure that Jillian was prepared while he got the others ready. Payton and Christopher, unfortunately, would not be tagging along on their trip, but planned to stay at their Uncles' apartment. So, early Saturday morning, the family departed, the travelers arriving in New Jersey by lunch.

"You're late, Jillian." Ms. Veronica waited in the hotel lobby for Jill to eat and get in costume, pacing impatiently. "Warm ups were 10 minutes ago."

"She practiced at home." Finn informed her.

"We'll see how she does without having had the proper training."

Rachel rolled her eyes, crouching down to the 5 year old's level with a smile. "You're going to shine like a star, sweetheart."

"Mommy, my tummy hurts." Jillian tensed, holding her stomach.

"It's just your nerves." She explained, using her thumbs to wipe away any stray tears. "Everything will be ok."

"We have to go." Ms. Veronica warned, grabbing Jill's wrist and whisking her back stage.

Finn waved. "Good luck, kiddo!"

The pair then sprinted to the ballroom and found a seat in the front row. It wasn't long before their daughter entered from behind the curtain, her music blasting through the speakers. The crowd watched in awe as she began and hit her motions gracefully. Her pink dress really sparkled under the lights, and the flowers shimmered in her hair. She looked beautiful.

Striking her final pose, Jill bowed and limped down into the audience to find her parents. They had moved to stand on the sidelines, Rachel squealing excitedly while Finn ran toward the 5 year old with open arms.

"You were fantastic, Jilly bean!" He praised, peppering her cheek with kisses. "Best dancer here."

She shook her head sadly, burying her face in his neck.

"What's wrong, honey?" Rachel asked in concern, rubbing small circles on her back. "You should be happy."

"My ankle twisted again." She explained, wiping at her wet eyes and smearing her make-up. "And I messed up."

"Oh, sweetie, it wasn't even noticeable."

"Yeah, you were perfect." He cooed.

"Far from it, actually." Ms. Veronica strut over to where they resided, fuming. "Jillian, your toes were not pointed, your arms were a sloppy mess, and that jump at the end was completely horrendous! How many times have we rehearsed this routine, and you still can't get it right?"

"Who do you think you are, speaking to a little girl like that?" Finn questioned in appall, still balancing an emotional Jill on his hip. "She made a mistake, so what?"

"Well, excuse me, but I am her teacher."

"And we are her parents." Rachel added, glaring at the bigger, clearly stronger woman. "Leaving _us_ in charge."

Veronica stuck her nose in the air, acting as if she could care less. "Fine, set her up for failure."

"The only thing being set up for failure is your career." Finn shot back. "Since you obviously don't know squat."

Rachel waved her off, turning to check on her daughter. "You alright, baby?"

"Mommy, I tried my hardest." She sniffled.

"And you know what?" Finn held his free hand out for a high five. "You rocked."

She giggled halfheartedly. "Now I get to put on your favorite costume, daddy."

"Right, the _sassy _one." He chuckled, leading his wife upstairs for another quick outfit change.

To say that Jillian was tired after two more performances would be an understatement. She was absolutely exhausted, out like a light on her father's lap by the time the MC had finished slowly progressing through the award ceremony, later that evening.

"She's a trooper." Rachel stated, removing the second place trophy from Jill's grasp.

Finn nodded, smiling. "Our little dancing queen."


	14. LOVE AND HEALING

It was a little after midnight when Rachel got the devastating call. She didn't recognize the number, so she ignored it at first, continuing to unpack her suitcases from their latest trip to see Carole and Burt get married again.

She smiled to herself, thinking back to the previous week. It had been so amazing. They took a flight over with the Andersons, and it was a very long plane ride, but totally worth it. The food was delicious, the architecture was incredible and the wedding was beautiful. The ceremony was held in an old cathedral with gorgeous design and color. Plus, the reception area was big, giving the family plenty of room to celebrate afterwards. Then, the next day, they all went on a tour together and saw a few popular sights to end their trip. It was truly, the perfect getaway.

Rachel was pulled from her thoughts when her phone started ringing again. She couldn't imagine who would be trying to get in touch with her that late at night, so she set her shirt down and answered it, only to receive an unpleasant surprise.

Panic taking over, she hung up and dialed Kurt's number, asking him to keep an eye on her kids. Then, grabbing a light jacket and slipping into a pair of shoes, she went downstairs and waited. Once he arrived, she ran to the car and sped away into the night.

She was almost halfway there when she finally let her tears fall freely. These types of things weren't supposed to happen. She couldn't handle it physically, or mentally.

Once her destination was reached, Rachel cut the ignition and hurried into Emergency. Puck was already there, sitting in the waiting room with Tom Price, the Jets' offence player.

"Noah!" She yelled, catching both of their attention. "Where is he? What happened?"

"Rachel, I am so sorry." Tom's head hung, full of shame. "It was all my fault."

She shot him a glare, stepping closer. "What did you do?"

"Well, we all went out to the bar for my birthday and we drank… A lot." He explained. "But he would want you to know, he didn't have anything. He said that he had kids at home and couldn't do it."

Hearing that only made her cry harder.

"So, he was the designated driver, completely fine. But we were being idiots and distracting him. And when he told us to stop…" He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. "He didn't see the red light. Or the truck."

"The responsible one has to suffer?" She questioned, infuriated.

Tom held his hands up in defense. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, my car was smashed."

"It doesn't!" She charged at him, but Puck wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back before she could do any damage. "You jerk! All you're worried about is your stupid car!"

"Tom, go." Puck demanded. "You've said enough."

He nodded, leaving them alone for the night and Rachel collapsed in defeat. Puck held her close, comforting his best friend's vulnerable wife, until a nurse walked out in search for the pair.

"Finn…" Rachel quickly stood up and wiped her eyes. "Is he alright?"

"I'm not going to lie, he's in pretty bad shape." The nurse answered. "But there is hope."

Puck sighed in relief.

"He's currently in a coma from head injury, but he could wake up at any time. We're just not definite about his memory." She said. "Besides that, he only has a few broken ribs and some bruises."

"When can we see him?" Rachel choked out.

"Now, if you'd like." She replied.

They nodded and she led them back to Finn's private room. Rachel was hesitant at first, afraid of what she'd see, but took a deep breath and entered behind Puck. She gasped at the sight of her husband's fragile body, breathing tube coming from his mouth while many different wires connected him to various machines.

"Hudson, what did you get yourself into, man?" Puck ran fingers through his mohawk remorsefully. "I'm so sorry, Rachel. I should have offered to take them home."

"Noah, it wasn't your fault." Rachel stated. "Nobody knew that this was going to happen."

He looked to the floor, hiding his pained face. "I'm just going to call Carole. And Quinn."

Rachel watched him scurry from the room before moving to take hold of Finn's limp hand. She squeezed it gently, hoping he'd return the gesture, but he remained lifeless. "I love you so much." She whispered, placing a soft kiss upon his forehead. "Don't go."

*BREAK*

Carole and Burt had taken the next flight out of Lima, arriving at the hospital later on that afternoon. Rachel hung around for a little while longer, but had to leave eventually, for she still had 3 young children to care for. She felt better knowing that Finn had company, though, and they promised to keep her up to date on his progression. So, waving goodbye, she went home for the night.

"Mommy, you're back!" Jill met Rachel at the front door, hugging her legs. "I missed you."

"Aww, I missed you, too, sweetheart." She set her purse and keys down on the nearest table, putting on a fake smile. "Where are your brother and sister?"

"In the kitchen." The 5 year old drug her mother into the next room, where Kurt struggled to calm a whiney Christopher and cook on the stove.

"Hey, any news?" Kurt asked.

She shook her head sadly, collecting her son from his arms. "Nothing yet."

"What is he talking about, mommy?" Jillian questioned curiously.

"Grown up stuff." Rachel answered, receiving an understanding nod in response. "So, what did you guys do today?"

"We went on the swings and the slide!" Payton shouted from her spot at the crayon covered counter.

"Wow, sounds like fun."

"Yeah, and then the ice cream truck came to the park!" Jill added. "I got strawberry, Payton got vanilla, and Chris got chocolate, but it spilled on his shirt."

Rachel chuckled, joining Kurt at the sink to help him finish dinner. She hadn't eaten in hours and was starved.

"Can we go swimming tomorrow, mommy?" Jillian climbed onto the stool beside her sister and resumed coloring Princess Ariel. "Uncle Kurt bought me a new suit!"

"Maybe this weekend, Jilly bean." She replied hopefully.

Later that night, Kurt left his friend to put the kids to bed. She took her usual walk around the house first, making sure that everything was locked up, before heading into Payton's room. The toddler was found jumping on her mattress.

"And what do you think you're doing, missy?" Rachel asked playfully.

Payton quickly sat down and curled up in a ball under her blankets. "Nuttin."

"That's not what I saw." She kindly scolded. "You know better."

"I sorry, mommy."

"It's alright, angel." She leaned over, placing a kiss on her rosy cheek. "I love you."

"Wuv you, too."

Rachel shut off the light and trudged up the hallway to her 5 year old's room. Jill was already tucked in, saying goodnight to her stuffed bear.

"Is Finchel getting sleepy yet?" She questioned from her spot in the doorway.

Jillian shook her head no, propping herself up on her elbow. "He's too busy wondering if daddy left us."

Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. How was she supposed to explain this situation to such a young child?

"Of course not, honey." She finally said. "Jilly, daddy's in the hospital. He's very sick."

"Is he going to be ok?" Jill worried. "He'll be home in a couple days, right?"

"I hope so, baby." She whispered, holding her daughter close. "I really hope so."

***BREAK***

A couple days turned into a week. And then, a week morphed into two. Finn wasn't making any progress and people were starting to lose hope. But Rachel still had faith in him to pull through. She went to visit him every day and told him about how their kids were doing, and how she was feeling. He would wake up eventually.

Christopher's loud wails filled the air at 3 a.m on the dot. Him and Rachel not sleeping had become a habit, and the exhaustion was becoming unbearable.

"Shh, buddy. It's ok." Rachel held her son close, bouncing him gently in her arms while she paced the nursery. "Mommy's here."

He continued to scream, gripping onto her shirt tightly.

"I know, you miss your daddy." She sat down in the rocking chair and started to sing, hoping that it would work. "What have I done? Wish I could run… Away from this ship going under." Her voice used to always calm the fussy little boy, but now, he clearly preferred his father's original song instead. "Just trying to help. Hurt everyone else. Now I feel the weight of the world is, on my shoulders."

He grew quiet, staring up at her through his father's tear filled eyes.

"What can you do when your good isn't good enough, and all that you touch tumbles down? Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things… I just want to fix it somehow. But how many times will it take? Oh, how many times will it take for me, to get it right?" She noticed him getting drowsy, but carried on until he fell back to sleep. "Can I start again? With my faith shaken. Cause I can't go back and undo this. I just have to stay, and face my mistakes. But if I get stronger and wiser… I'll get through this."

Rachel laid him back down in his crib, humming the next verse as she made her way back to her own room, where two very sad, little girls stood in the doorway. They crawled into bed together, one curling up into a ball on each side of their mother, and she began again. But this time, it was for them.

"So I throw up my fists. Throw a punch in the air… And except the truth, that sometimes life isn't fair. Yeah, I'll send out a wish. Yeah, I'll send up a prayer… And finally, someone will see, how much I care." She, along with her distraught daughters, drifted off. "Oh, how many times will it take for me, to get it right? To get it right…"

***BREAK***

The next day, Rachel made a quick stop for caffeine before heading to the hospital, to mope at her husband's bedside yet again. She was expecting him to be in the same state, but found that his breathing tube had been removed. Finally, something positive?

"Morning, Mrs. Hudson!" Mary, the nurse she had gotten to know, greeted with a smile. "As you can see, Finn is breathing on his own now." She said, checking his vitals.

Rachel sighed in relief. "That's amazing." Setting her coffee down on the nearest table, she took his hand in hers. "Hey, sweetheart. I hear you're getting better." She felt him gently squeeze her fingers in response and automatically assumed that she was just delusional from lack of rest, but then it happened again and she froze. "What was that?"

Mary turned to face Rachel.

"He just- He… Finn?"

"Sometimes familiar sounds can lead a person back. They just have to find the right path." Mary explained. "Keep speaking to him normally."

Rachel nodded, kissing his forehead softly. "You're almost here, baby."

She stayed in that position for the remainder of the day, but nothing else happened and she had to go. Saying her ritual goodbyes, she picked her kids up from Quinn and Puck's place, and drove home. When they woke up, Rachel decided to cook them their first real breakfast in awhile. She was in a good mood, now that Finn was improving.

"Try this, Pay." She slid a plate full of scrambled eggs and blueberry pancakes over to the toddler, and her eyes widened as she took a big bite. "Is it yummy?"

"Yeah." Payton answered.

She tossed a few cut up pieces onto Christopher's high chair and he gurgled happily, just as Jillian entered the kitchen.

"Mommy, do I have to go with Uncle Kurt today?" She asked.

"I thought that you wanted to shop for new school clothes?" Rachel turned the grill off and crouched down to her level.

"With you!" She yelled, starting to cry. "Why don't you have time for us anymore?"

Her heart broke. "I'm so sorry." She apologized, giving her a hug. "You know what? We'll go on Saturday. All of us."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Rachel held out her pinky and Jillian giggled. "I didn't mean to make you guys feel neglected. Your daddy and I love you more than anything. Things have just been a little crazy lately."

"I forgive you."

"Good. Now, go eat your food before it gets cold." She kindly demanded. "I'm taking you to aunt Mercedes and Donavan's apartment today. They adopted another puppy!"

"A doggy?" Payton questioned excitedly.

Rachel nodded. "Ernest."

"That's a funny name!" Jill laughed. "But I can't wait to meet him."

"Well then, hurry up, slow poke."

When done with their meal, Rachel walked the kids to her friends' apartment and hung around to meet the new dog herself. After, she made her way back to the hospital. Finn was lying in the same exact position, meaning that he did not move another muscle, so she sat down in her usually chair and got comfortable.

"Morning, Finny." Rachel began. "I hope you're having a better day than I am…" She took a deep breath. "Nothing is worse than learning that you're a terrible mother. I left our kids in the dust and I've come to realize that I can't raise them alone. It's too hard, this whole experience. And I know that I sound selfish, but I just really need you here." Her face collided with the palms of her hands and she sobbed. It wasn't until she felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder that she stopped. "Finn."

He blinked a few times, confused. "W-What happened?"

"You don't remember?" She asked, receiving a quiet "no" in response. "Do you um… Know who I am?"

He was silent and she took that as a bad thing, but then he finally spoke up. "How could I ever forget you, babe?"

Rachel sighed in relief, smiling. "I love you so much." She gave him a quick kiss before hugging him tight. "You were in a car accident and I thought that I was going to lose you. Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

He chuckled weakly. "Sorry."

"I should probably go get a nurse." She stood up straight, heading for the door. "I'll be right back, ok? Just... Stay."

Finn eyed the IV in his arm and the heavy, blue cast on his leg. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good." She stated. "I missed you."

"I know." He nodded. "You told me every day."

Rachel froze in her tracks. "How…"

"What do you think I followed?" He questioned. "After all, you are the beacon of light, guiding me through the darkness."


	15. KINDERGARTEN

"Good morning, my little kindergartener!" Rachel entered her daughter's room in excitement, flicking on the light. "Time to wake up, honey."

Jillian moaned, shoving her face even further into her pillow.

"Come on, sweetheart." Rachel cooed, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "You don't want to be late for your first day of school, do you?" She asked, rubbing the little girl's back gently.

"I don't want to go."

"You don't want to go?" She repeated in surprise. "Well, what changed your mind? You were so excited."

"I just don't want to!" Jill yelled, pulling a blanket over her head.

Rachel quickly removed it, growing concerned, and revealed the crying 5 year old. "What's wrong, Jilly bean?" She questioned. "Are you nervous?"

"No." Jill sniffled. "Daddy promised to take me, but he got hurt and can't now."

"I'm so sorry, baby." Rachel whispered sympathetically, dropping a kiss to her temple. "It wasn't his fault, though, you know that."

She nodded sadly. "I still miss him."

"Me, too, kiddo." Rachel held Jillian close, running fingers through her brown locks. "But he doesn't want us to be upset, and he certainly wouldn't want you to miss out on making some new friends and having fun today."

"Ok." Jillian agreed, hugging her mother. "I love you, mommy."

Rachel smiled, wiping away the remainder of her daughter's tears. "Let's get you ready then, shall we?"

"Can I wear my dress?" She asked.

"The pink one?"

"I'm feeling the purple." Jill answered, hopping to the floor. "With my white shoes!"

"Good choice." Rachel went into her closet and found the outfit, kneeling to help her get dressed. After, they both descended the stairs for breakfast. "Strawberry waffles sound yummy?"

"Yeah." Jillian climbed up onto a stool at the bar, brushing her hair before she pushed it back with a headband. When it was ready, she ate her food as fast as she could and grabbed her sweater. Leaving Carole with Payton and Christopher, they were out of the house in no time.

"Mommy, wait." Jillian came to a stop in the middle of a hallway, pulling Rachel back. "I'm scared."

"Why, sweetheart?" Rachel crouched down to her level, taking hold of her trembling hands. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"But what if nobody likes me?"

"Just be yourself, Jilly bean."She kindly demanded. "You are one awesome, little girl and there is absolutely no reason for them not to."

"Ok." She nodded, walking into the classroom. It was very colorful with a lot of cool toys. Different kids were scattered around, all laughing and playing.

"Hello!" The teacher immediately skipped over to greet them, a big smile in tow. "I'm Miss Jenny." She turned toward the frightened 5 year old. "And who might you be?"

"Jillian Caroline Hudson." Jill whispered shyly.

"It's very nice to meet you, Jillian." Miss Jenny held her hand out to her new student for a shake, but she hesitated and clung to her mother's legs.

"Someone's being shy." Rachel giggled.

"That's alright. She'll warm up eventually." Miss Jenny said. "I have a bunch of activities planned for this year and we are going to learn a lot of interesting stuff." She turned away at the sound of a commotion, her eyes widening at the sight. "Carter, you are not allowed to climb out the window!"

"Mommy, please don't leave me." Jillian begged.

"I'll stay as long as you need me to, sweetheart." She promised. "I took the entire day off."

Just then, the Puckerman's made an appearance, both girls kicking and screaming in their dad's arms. Quinn followed behind, a box of tissues in hand.

"Oh, look, Taylor and Chloe are here, Jill."

"Stop biting me!" Puck growled, setting the twins down on their feet just in time for one to run back out the door. "Hey, get back here!" He yelled, chasing after her.

"I can't handle this!" Quinn cried, ignoring her husband and blowing her nose. "They're growing up way too fast."

"I know." Rachel agreed. "But I'm trying not to think about it, at least until I get in the car. I wouldn't want to make a scene." She joked, referring to the hysterical blonde.

"It's just so sad!"

"Mommy?" Jill tugged at the bottom of her mother's shirt, requesting attention. "Can I go play dolls with Chloe?"

"Of course." She answered. "Do you want me to wait here?"

"No, you can leave now."

"Are you sure?" She questioned, receiving a quick nod in response. "O-Ok then, I'll see you later."

"Bye." Jillian waved, skipping over to a number carpet in the corner, where another little, red headed girl already resided.

"I love you." Rachel called, but was ignored. "And there she goes…"

Quinn nodded, taking a deep breath. "It's a shame that Finn has to miss out on this."

"Yeah."

"Well, I better go locate my husband and help him force my daughter's butt in here." She said. "Tell that football player of yours to hurry up and get better. We miss him."

"Will do." Rachel chuckled. "Good luck!" She exited the building and got in her car, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road. Driving past the house, she made her way to the hospital like every other day.

"Hey, Rach." Finn flashed his wife a small smile before taking another bite of his breakfast. "You're here early."

"I had to drop Jill off at school this morning, so I just came by after." She explained, kissing his forehead.

"That's right, she starts today." He remembered, growing unhappy. "How did it go?"

"Not as bad as I thought, actually."

"I just really wish that I could've been there."He sighed.

"She understands why you weren't and yes, she was disappointed, but would much rather have you miss her first day of school than not have you at all."

Finn grunted, throwing a piece of bacon back down on his plate. "Would it kill them to serve me food that's edible?"

"I know it sucks, babe." She comforted, massaging his tensed shoulders. "But you'll be released soon."

"Maybe even sooner than you think." Dr. Giles stepped into the room, flipping through his charts. "I got your latest test results back and you're all clear."

"Seriously?"

He nodded. "Now, I'm not suggesting that you jump right back into the swing of things. Rest and medication are still very important."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he's taken care of." Rachel stated.

"Sounds like you're in good hands, Mr. Hudson." Dr. Giles chuckled. "You're free to go whenever you're ready, and I'll be seeing you in 2 weeks for a checkup."

"Thank you." She squealed in delight, hugging her hubby tight. "Let's go home!"

*BREAK*

When Finn stepped through the front door, Carole was folding laundry on the couch while Payton colored and watched The Little Mermaid from her spot on the floor. He cleared his throat and both spun around with a gasp.

"Finn." Carole cheered. "What a lovely surprise!"

"Daddy!" Payton beamed, ditching her crayons to greet him. "You back."

He scooped her up, planting multiple kisses all over her face. "Oh, I missed you so much." He said, never wanting to let go. "I love you."

"Wuv you, too."

As if he knew, Christopher's loud wails filled the air. Rachel excused herself to get him from the nursery and bring him back downstairs. The fussy little boy lit with pure joy at the sight of his father.

"What's up, buddy?" Finn cooed, the 10 month old reaching out for a cuddle. "It's so good to see you."

"Dada."Chris gripped onto Finn's shirt, relaxing in his warm embrace. There was no place either would rather be.

Later on that evening, Finn struggled to play some dance game with Payton on the Wii. He would have lied and said that he was letting her win, but she actually was. The giant boot on his foot wasn't helping.

"Go, Payton! Go, Payton!" He laughed as she continued to miss every choreographed step and create her own moves. "Work it, girl."

"Wow, you're doing awesome." Rachel chimed in, bouncing her son gently while he sucked on his bottle. "But I think it's time for a breather."

Finn nodded. "I second that."

"Good, you can keep an eye on the kids then."

"Where are you going?" He asked curiously. "To pick Jill up from kindergarten?"

She nodded, slipping into her shoes.

"I want to go."

"No, you take a break."

"I'm fine." He argued, and she finally gave in. "She's going to be shocked."

Jillian was standing at her designated table and gathering her belongings when they arrived. Miss Jenny noticed them waiting and informed Jill about their presence. She looked up, expecting to see just her mother, but found both of her parents instead.

"Daddy?" She scurried to the hallway and leaped into his arms, nearly squeezing him to death. "I thought that I would never see you again!"

"You're not getting rid of me that easily." He chuckled. "I'm really sorry about today, honey. But I'm here now, and there's always tomorrow, right? We can just pretend that tomorrow is your first day of school, all over again!"

"Ok." She giggled.

"So, how was it, Jilly bean?" Rachel questioned, making herself known again. "I want to know everything."

"I learned how to write! But the letters "b" and "d" still confuse me."

"They always tricked me, too." He admitted.

"Thinking so hard made me hungry." Jill said. "My tummy is rumbling!"

"Well then, let's get going, shall we?" Finn took her hand in his and led them out, hopping in the car and driving home for the night. "Alright, I read the girls their story and put Christopher down for the night." He crawled into bed next to his wife and wrapped an arm around her. "Now, all that there's left to do is curl up next to my beautiful w-"

"I'm really glad you're here, Finn." Rachel blurted, cutting him off.

He smiled, kissing her temple. "Me, too, Rach. Me, too..."

At the crack of dawn, Finn woke up with his daughter and got ready to take her to school. He helped her find a super awesome outfit (a yellow sundress), made her a super delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, and after a fruity pebble breakfast, they headed for kindergarten.

"You have everything you need?" He asked, passing her, her book bag.

"Yes, daddy." She replied.

"And you're not talking to any boys, right?"

Jillian rolled her eyes. "Daddy, I have to go!"

"Alright." He chuckled, waving goodbye. "Have a good day, princess."

"Bye!" She ran off with her new friends, never looking back, and Finn's heart shattered.

"I feel like I'm losing her."

"She's 5." Rachel stated.

"Yeah, but she won't always be."


	16. MOVIE NIGHT

**__**"I'm home!" Finn stepped through the front door and dropped his bags down on the floor with a loud huff. After a long day of practice, starting before the sun came up and ending after it went back down, he just wanted to kick of his shoes, and relax. Dragging his feet into the living room, he let himself fall back onto the couch, exhaustedly. He was so tired.

Just when he was about to close his eyes and drift off into a deep sleep, he heard a strange noise. It was silence. Something that was very scarce in their house. So, he stood back and made his way over to the kitchen, peeking in, in search for his family. But they were nowhere to be found. "Rach?"

Normally, his wife would be in the kitchen making dinner while she listened to Jillian babble on and on about her day at school or a new dance move that she learned in class. And Payton would be coloring at the table while Christopher giggled hysterically at absolutely everything.

"Rachel?" He called again.

"We're here." Rachel then came into view, coming down the stairs with the kids in tow. Christopher occupied her right arm and Payton held onto her left as she slowly took one step at a time.

"Oh, hey. There you are. I was starting to get worried." Finn stated, bending over to pick up his 2 and a half year old. "It was just a little too quiet in here."

"Yeah, Payton and I just went up to get Chrissy from his nap."

"Oh. And where's Jillian?" He asked, following her into the kitchen.

"After school, Jill went home with the Puckerman's for awhile. But I told Quinn to have her home by 6 for dinner. So, she should be back any minute." She explained, putting their son in his high chair before pulling out all the pots and pans she needed to make dinner. "So, how did your first football practice go today, honey?"

He leaned back against the counter next to her, rubbing Payton's back gently as she listened in quietly on her parent's conversation. "Uh… It was ok, I guess. I'm pretty worn out though. I feel so out of shape and unfocused."

"Well, that's to be expected since you've been off for two months because of the accident."

"Yeah, I know. I just have to get my head back in the game."

"Right." She agreed, grabbing stuff from the refrigerator.

"And what about you guys?" He sighed. "How was your day?"

"It was nice."

"What did you do?"

"Well, for it being the beginning of October, the weather today was actually really warm. So, I decided to take the kids to Central Park."

"Did you have fun?"

Payton nodded excitedly. "We seen Elphants!"

"Y-You saw Elephants?" He questioned, a tad confused.

"Yes." Rachel chuckled. "We went to the Zoo."

"Yeah, and daddy?"

"What, sweetheart?"

"Der was Lions and Tigers and Bears too!"

"Oh my!" He laughed. "Sounds like you had an awesome day?"

"Yeah." She giggled.

"And then we went to the playground too, right?" Rachel said. "And you went on the swings."

Payton nodded once again. "The swing was fun."

"I bet." He smiled, kissing her cheek. "And did my little buddy have fun today as well?"

Christopher gurgled happily, smiling up at his dad.

"He sure did!" Rachel spoke. "Christopher enjoyed the animals very much. Didn't you, bud?" She cooed, ruffling his hair.

Chris squealed as he clapped his hands together, eagerly.

Just then, the doorbell sounded, catching their attention.

"That would be Jill."

"I got it!" Finn kissed Payton's cheek before setting her on her feet and running for the door. Opening it, he was immediately greeted by his 5 year old who wrapped her arms around his legs. "Well, hello, Jilly bean."

"Hi, daddy!"

"How was school, honey?" He waved to Puck as he drove off before shutting the front door.

"Good. We did some Math today."

"Awesome. Do you have any homework?"

"No, I don't get any on Friday's remember?" She rolled her eyes and laid all of her stuff down on the floor, darting into the kitchen.

"Right. Silly me, I forgot." He mumbled, walking behind her.

"Mommy!" Jill smiled, hugging her mother tightly. "I missed you."

"Hey, sweetie. I missed you too." Rachel held her daughter in her embrace for a few seconds before turning back to the food cooking on the stove. "How was your day? Did you have a good time over on your little play date?"

"Yeah. Me, Taylor and Chloe had a tea party outside! But then it got too cold and Aunty Quinn made us go inside and that's when Uncle Noah brought me home."

"Sounds like fun, baby." She kissed Jillian's hair. "Now, go wash up for dinner, ok?"

"Ok!" Jill left the room, going into the downstairs bathroom to do as she was told, returning only a few short minutes later. "What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti." Rachel answered, receiving a loud groan from her husband. "Hey, nobody forces me to cook for you. I do it because I want to. So, if you have a problem with what I'm making, Finn Hudson, you can get your own dinner."

"Spaghetti sounds so good, Rach!" Finn said, taking the 3 kids into the dining room.

"That's what I thought." She chuckled, following behind him with the bowl. Sitting it down on the table, she then gave each of the kids a portion and cut it up. "Watch when you eat it, guys, it's hot."

"Ok." Jill lifted a fork full of noodles in the air, blowing on it first, before shoving it into her mouth. "It's so yummy! I love your cooking, mommy."

"Why thank you, Jillian. I am glad somebody appreciates it." She stated, smacking Finn upside the head.

He flinched, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, um… Halloween is coming up, Jill. Do you know what you want to be?"

"I do!" She answered. "I wanna be a Vampire."

"A vampire? You?" Rachel laughed.

"Yeah! But not a mean one. A nice one."

"I think that you would make a fantastic vampire, Jillian."

"Thanks, daddy. I can't wait to get my outfit, now."

"We'll have to go this weekend. Maybe we can check out that new Halloween store?"

"That sounds like a good idea. We don't have any plans on Saturday, plus, I wanted to look at costumes for Payton and Christopher. They need them to go Trick-Or-Treating."

He nodded, taking a bite of his food as silence took over the room.

"Hey!" Jill yelled, breaking it. "I almost forgot! Tonight is movie night."

"Oh, yeah." Rachel said. "What movie are we watching?"

"Nothing that has to do with princesses or fairies, please. Chris and I are getting tired of watching all that girl stuff."

"Alright then. We need to choose something that we can all agree on."

"Barbie?" The 2 year old suggested.

Both adults shook their heads.

"Cowboys vs. Aliens?" Finn questioned.

"No!" All the girls screamed.

"The notebook?"

He glared at his wife, thinking back to all of the times she made him watch that when they were younger. "Definitely not."

"What about Toy Story 3?" Jillian asked.

Rachel nodded, looking over to her husband who was doing the same. "Yeah, that one will work. I mean, we haven't seen that one in awhile and it's something we all can enjoy."

"Cool, so we have our movie."

"Yes, but let's not forget the popcorn this time, mommy."

"Don't worry, Jill. I just bought a brand new box when I went grocery shopping the other day."

"Good, we need that stuff. It's important."

Finn laughed. "And so is using a fork."

Rachel followed his eyes over to their son, who was now covered from head to toe in spaghetti sauce. "Looks like someone will be needing a bath tonight."

They all watched as he wiped his dirty hands off on his white shirt and shorts.

"Oh, Chris." She giggled.

He chuckled. "Looks like we will be doing some laundry too."

After the family finished up their dinner, Finn was sent off to bath and pajama duty while Rachel stayed downstairs in the kitchen to clean up.

"Hi, mommy."

"Oh, hey, Jilly bean." Rachel smiled, wiping off the marble countertops. "All clean?"

"Yeah." Jill held her hands up and wiggled her fingers. "Sauce free!"

"Good." She replied. "Then why don't you get started on the popcorn for me?"

"I can make it?"

"Sure, you can."

"How do I do it?"

"It's super easy. Here, watch." She set the rag down and grabbed the box of popcorn out of the pantry. "All you have to do is open it, put it into the microwave, and hit start!"

"That's it?"

"Yup, that's it."

"Oh. That's easy. I can do it."

"Ok. So, you can keep an eye on it for me while I go clear the dining room table?"

She nodded.

"Alright, I'll be right back."

Jill watched her mother leave the room before she looked into the microwave and listened to the corn pop. Then it beeped and she reached in to take it out and pour it into the bowl, not thinking about how hot it might be. "Oww! Oww! Oww! Oww!"

Rachel peered around the corner, quickly running over and crouching down in front of her 5 year old. "What happened, sweetheart? What's wrong?"

"My fingers. It burned me."

"Can I see?" She asked, getting a slight nod in return as the little girl held her fire red fingers out to her. "Oh, that's nothing a mommy can't fix." Lifting Jillian up onto the counter next to the sink, she ran the cold water and stuck her hand under. "Feel better?"

Jill nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "Yeah. It does."

She chuckled. "So, I'm guessing that I will be making the rest of the popcorn?"

"Yeah." She giggled.

"Well that's ok. I don't mind." She shut off the water and handed her a paper towel before helping her get back on her feet.

"Thanks, mommy. I love you."

"Love you." She ran her fingers through her daughter's hair before she scattered off into the living room, running right into her dad on the way.

"Oops, Jill, watch out, honey." Finn laughed, stepping into the laundry room, were his wife now stood. "Hey, Rachel." He tossed the kids dirty clothes into the washer just in time for her to close it up and start the machine. "So, we just about survived another day of complete craziness."

"Barely." She sighed. "Your children really keep me on my toes."

"Tell me about it." He stated. "You never know what's going to happen next in this house."

"Nope." She giggled, turning off the light. "But we manage."

"Yeah, we do." He smiled, placing a soft kiss upon her lips.

"Ewww!" Jillian yelped, quickly covering her eyes. Why did she always have to catch them at the wrong time? "My eyes!"

"Oh, shush!" He joked.

"Make me!"

"Oh, I'll make you alright." Finn moved around his wife, chasing the tittering 5 year old out of the room.

Rachel rolled her eyes at the two, smiling as she went back into the kitchen to make a second bag of popcorn.

"Rach, I got her." He came back into view moments later, holding Jill upside down in his arms. "What should we do with her?"

"Oh, just throw her away."

"What!"

"We don't need you. We have Payton and Christopher, now."

"No, mommy!" Jill yelled between giggles. "You can't throw me away."

Rachel shrugged. "I don't see why not?"

She squealed as her dad started tickling her. "But, I love you!"

"Well, when you put it that way…" She thought. "I guess we can put up with ya a little bit longer."

He laughed, standing her upright on her feet.

"Mommy, daddy, you weren't really gonna throw me away, were you?"

"Nah, you're a keeper, Jilly bean." Finn said, pulling her into his side as he ruffled her hair.

The pair then made their way back into the living room where Christopher was already fast asleep in his play pen and Payton was curled up under a blanket on the floor in front of the TV screen.

"You girl's ready to watch the movie?" He asked, popping in the DVD.

Payton nodded, gripping onto her Octopus. "Uh- huh."

"Yeah, are you gonna come and sit next to me?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, movie buddy." He picked her up, tossing her into the air and kissing her forehead before walking over to the couch and sitting down. "Rach, hurry up!"

"I'm coming." Rachel scurried from the kitchen, shutting all the lights off on the way. "I had to wait for the popcorn." She handed one of the bowls to Jillian who had found a good spot on the floor, then sat down next to her husband with the other.

"Nice of you to join us, babe."

She glared and flicked a piece of popcorn at him. It bounced off his nose.

"Hey!" He stuck his hand in the bowl and returned the gesture, the 3 little pieces hitting her cheek.

"Finn." She went to toss another in his direction, but he was too quick and had already thrown another big hand full in her face. "Finn! Stop it!" She giggled, trying to block the next bunch coming at her. "Knock it off! I think you got butter in my eye you jerk."

He chuckled, shoving some in his mouth.

Throwing another piece at him, she completely missed and hit her 2 year old instead. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry!"

Payton continued to giggle as she threw one back, hitting her moms ear.

"Oh, you got me!" Rachel laughed along with her husband.

"Shhhh! Will you guys _please _be quiet?" Jill yelled. "I can't hear the movie!"

"Sorry." They whispered, turning their gazes back to the movie, keeping quiet until they all fell asleep. About halfway through was when Finn found himself stuck in the middle of his girls. Rachel had dozed off on his shoulder as well as Payton who was snoring softly in his lap. And Jillian had managed to squeeze her body into the small space on his other side.

Looking around at them, he smiled. Yeah, he couldn't move a muscle, and his leg was now numb, but he couldn't think of a better way to end his day.


	17. HAPPY HALLOWEEN

"This is Halloween. This is Halloween. Halloween! Halloween!" Payton sang, as she sat on the floor and watched TV, swaying back and forth to the tune. "Halloween! Halloween!"

"Payton!" Finn yelled, coming in from the kitchen, her clothes and shoes in hand. "Pay, we have to go, sweetheart. Won't you please get dressed for daddy?"

"No!" She screamed, leaving her spot on the carpet and sprinting into the dining room.

He sighed, on the verge of giving up, but turned back around and went after his 2 and a half year old again.

Rachel laughed at her husband's failure as she brushed past him on her way to the living room with their son. "Jillian, are you ready to go?" She called out, setting Chris down on the couch to put his coat on.

"Mama!" Christopher squealed, touching his mother's face.

"Hey, buddy." She kissed his tiny palm while zippering up his little blue jacket. "Are you excited to go and get your costume today?"

He smiled up at her and clapped his hands together, excitedly.

"Yeah?" She cooed, picking him back up and kissing his forehead. "Jillian!"

"I'm comin, mommy!" The 5 year old replied as she descended the stairs. "Hold your horses."

Just then, Payton came back into view and rounded the corner, running past her sister and up to the second floor. Her dad was a few feet behind and completely out of breath as he continued to call her name. Stopping in front of her bedroom, she giggled before going in and crawling into bed, hiding under her sheets.

He stared at the lump on the mattress and shrugged, deciding that playing along was worth a shot. It might actually get him somewhere. "Oh, no. Where did Payton go? I wonder where she could be. Maybe she's in the closet?" He pulled the door open, only to find rows of hanging clothes. "No, not there. What about here?" He flung open the toy box. "Nope, not in there either."

Her laughter filled the room and he could see her out of the corner of his eye, peeking out at him from under the blankets.

"Hmmm… I guess she's gone. I'll just have to make myself comfortable and wait here until she gets back." Finn sat down on the bed and laid back on her tiny body.

The little girl was hysterical as she tried pushing him away. "Daddy."

"This bed is very uncomfortable." He joked.

"Daddy!"

He sat up right. "Payton? Is that you?" Pulling the covers off the bed, he gasped. "Payton! There you are."

"Hi, daddy." She giggled.

"Hello, honey. Are you ready to get dressed now?"

She shook her head.

"B-But, you have to. Or else. Or else I'm gonna cry."

"No."

He buried his face in his hands and pretended to sob, looking between his fingers to see his daughter staring at him.

"No cry, daddy." Payton, suddenly feeling bad, hugged him and kissed his cheek before picking up one of her boots and slipping it onto the wrong foot. "I'll do it."

"Y-You're gonna get dressed for me?" He sniffled.

"Yeah."

"Really?"

She nodded and smiled as she pulled her long sleeve shirt over her pajama top.

He chuckled, wiping away his fake tears. "Can I help you?"

"No."

"Alright, well then here's a little tip. Take the jammies off first, silly girl." Finn said, tickling her.

"Hey." Rachel then appeared in the doorway, smiling in at the two. "How you doing in here?"

"We're getting there." He answered. "Very slowly."

"Well, hurry up. We gotta get a move on."

"I'm goin fast!" Payton exclaimed, pulling her jeans on backwards.

"A little too fast, Pay. You're putting them on the wrong way."

"Daddy, help!" She cried.

"Ok, ok." He laughed.

After getting the 2 year old dressed properly, Rachel led her husband and daughter back down the stairs, where she found Jillian talking on the carpet with Christopher. Walking past the two, she turned off the TV and shut off the light. "Come on, Jilly bean. We're gonna head out."

"No, wait, mommy. He is so close. I can feel it!" Jill pleaded.

"He's not going to say it, sweetheart."

"Yes, he will, daddy!" Leaning in closer to her brother, the 5 year old smiled. "Say it, Chris. Hall-o-ween. Halloween!" She yelled. "See, it's easy. Just watch my lips. Hall-o-ween. Hall-o-ween. Hall-o-ween. Hall-o-w…"

Chris started to whimper as his sister continued to pressure him, and threw his stuffed ducky at her.

"Alright, that's enough." Rachel picked the little boy up and bounced him gently in her arms. "Leave him alone, Jillian."

"Fine." She huffed, standing up and following her dad out to the car as her mother locked up behind.

The Hudson's then piled into the car and left their home, driving off into Times Square and stopping at a local Halloween store to go costume shopping.

"Mommy, over here!" Jill yelled, as her and Payton pulled Rachel over to the girl's section of the store. "You have to help me find my vampire costume!"

"Well, there are a bunch of different ones, honey. So, you have to pick out the one you like the best."

"I want a pink one!" She stated, walking hand in hand down the aisles with her mom.

"Jilly bean, I'm sorry to say this but, I highly doubt you are going to find a…" Rachel stopped speaking when she spotted her daughters costume out of the corner of her eye. "Would you look at that?" She said in shock. "A pink vampire costume. And it's sparkly."

"I have never seen such a stylish blood sucking creature before." Finn admitted, as he cradled a sleeping Christopher in his arms.

"Why weren't costumes this cool when we were younger?" She whispered. "It's not fair."

He chuckled, nodding in agreement, before looking down at his 2 year old, who was tugging on his pant leg and trying to gain his attention. "Any luck, Pay?"

"Yeah." Payton looked on the shelf beside them and pointed to the first costume she saw, receiving a small laugh from her parents in response.

"Payton, you don't really want to be Super Woman, do you?" Rachel asked.

She nodded.

"Are you sure, sweetheart?"

Payton stood there and rethought about it for a few more seconds before shaking her head no and running over to another costume. "I want the kitty."

"Hmmm… A black cat on Halloween. Very interesting choice." Finn said, taking the costume from her.

"Babe, why don't we check out costumes for Christopher, now?" Rachel suggested. "And then we'll get out of here and go home. Because I totally forgot, we still have to carve those pumpkins we got from the patch a couple days ago."

"Oh, yeah, right. Ok."

Just then, Payton came skipping back to her mom and dad, 2 more costumes in hand, showing them. "These."

Jillian shook her head. "No, Payton, you already picked out your costume."

"I want these."

"Well, you can't have them all. You have to choose one." Finn explained.

She looked down at the costumes in her hand. It was either a Butterfly or a Pumpkin, and she liked them equally. She couldn't choose. So, she began to cry.

"Oh, I know." Rachel sighed, picking up the little girl. "Such a hard decision for a toddler to have to make." Randomly grabbing one of the costumes, she turned around and headed to the back of the store with her husband.

"Daddy, Chrissy should go as a flower." Jill suggested. "He would look pretty."

"Um… Yeah, Jill. I don't think so."

"What about this?" Rachel asked, holding a costume up in the air.

"Are you kidding me, Rach? Really?"

"Ok, ok, fine." She quickly hung it back on its rack and moved along. "No to the bumblebee."

"He needs something more like this." Finn pulled another one from the rack. "Something manlier. Tougher."

"I am not dressing our 11 month old son up as Frankenstein, frankenteen." She stated. "That is way too scary and inappropriate for his age. He needs something cute. Such as…" She looked around the aisle, grabbing a costume that she approved of.

He glared at his wife once he saw what she had in her hands. "A lion?" He questioned, receiving a slight nod in response. "No way."

"But it's something that we can both agree on. Cute _and _tough."

"It's girly."

"It's not."

"Yes, it is." He said, bouncing his son in his arms.

"Not really. But whatever." She hung it back up and continued on her search, roaming the aisles. "Hey, what about a baby Batman or Darth Vader?"

"Rachel, every other little boy Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night will have those costumes. They aren't very original!"

"Oh, so we're going for something original now?" Rachel questioned. "Ya know what? I give up. I'm done trying to help." Stepping away with Payton, she continued to browse. That is until one costume in particular caught her eye. And it was just too perfect to pass up. "Oh my god. This is it."

"I love that one!" Jillian said "Come look, daddy."

Finn trotted over to his girls, taking a quick peek and snarling. "No freakin way."

"Finn! Language." She warned. "And yes… This is the one."

After talking him into it and paying, the family exited the store and walked down the strip, stopping at a nearby restaurant for a quick bite to eat. Then, went home for the night.

"Hall-o-ween. Hall-o-ween."

"Jillian. _Please_, stop bothering him." Rachel pleaded, rolling out dough on the kitchen counter.

"I'm not." Jill stood in front of Chris's high chair, slowly repeating the same word over and over. "Hall-o-ween. Hall-o-ween. Hall-o-ween."

"He is going to get upset again."

"No, he won't." She stated. "Just say it. Hall-o-ween!"

"Halloween!" Payton yelled, excitedly, as she put together a puzzle on the table.

"Not you, Payton! Christopher." She sighed, before trying again. "Hall-o-ween."

"Still torturing your brother, I see." Finn came in from the back porch, rubbing his hands together and trying to get warm.

"Hall-o-ween."

"Ok, Jilly bean, knock it off, honey." Rachel said. "He'll say it when he's ready."

"And when will that be?" She questioned.

He chuckled. "Geez, give him some time. He just started talking, sweetheart."

She frowned, finding a seat next to her sister.

Carrying the flattened dough over to the table, Rachel set it down and went back in the cabinet to gather all of her different shaped cutters. She had promised all _four_ of her kids, her husband included, that they could make their own cookies that year. So, they sat there together, cutting out bats, pumpkins, ghosts, witches, _and _a Christmas tree, because Payton insisted. And while they were cooking, Finn took the girls out into the garage and helped them carve their pumpkins. Which turned out to be a very interesting experience. And a huge mess. His ended up being, by far, the worst. Trying to be artistic and carve something other than a face into it like Jillian, did not go over well. Now, it was just in pieces. And looked kind of wrong when they put it out in the front yard, seeing as, it was sitting right next to the best one. His wife's. Hers was so neatly cut and perfect, despite all of her complaining and gagging over the smell. And he was jealous. Because even his 2 and a half year olds was more attractive than his and it was covered in colorful scribbles from when she wanted to color it.

"Babe, I think your pumpkin is beautiful." Rachel admitted, standing in the driveway with the girls as they watched him light their creations up.

"I-I worked really hard on it." He stated, holding a match to one of the candles before putting it inside her pumpkin.

She nodded. "Oh, I know, honey."

"Daddy, yours is my favorite. Even though it looks a little silly." Jill giggled.

"Aww, thanks, kiddo."

"Welcome."

Finn finished lighting and sprinted over to where his girls stood, putting his hands on his wife's shoulders. "So, what do you think?"

Payton was in awe as she watched the pumpkins glow in the darkness on their sidewalk. "Cool!"

"They look awesome!" Jillian yelled, hugging her mom. "Don't they, mommy?"

"Yup. They sure do, baby. You guys did a really good job!"

"The trick-or-treaters are going to love them." He said, rubbing Rachel's arms as she shivered. "Hey, so, it's getting pretty chilly out here. What do you guys say we go back inside and take a whack at decorating all those Halloween cookies?"

"Yeah!" The 5 year old jumped up and down excitedly.

"And we can't forget Payton's Christmas cookie." Rachel added, giggling.

"Noo, we can't forget that." He laughed.

***BREAK***

"So, what kinds of candy do you want to get tonight, Pay?" Finn was lying on the couch, his feet up in a comfortable position, as his 2 and a half year old straddled his chest.

"Reese's!" Payton answered, poking his nose.

"Oh, yeah, you really like those." He took both of her hands in his. "What else are you looking forward to?"

"Reese's." She repeated.

"Just Reese's?"

She nodded. "And gum."

"Oh, good luck getting mommy to let you have it. Especially, after what happened last time. Remember? Jilly had to go and get a little hair cut."

She giggled, innocently.

"And what about Sour Patch Kids? You love those."

"Wike you."

"Yeah, so if you get any, you're going to share them with me, right?"

Payton smiled and gave her dad two thumbs up. "Wight."

"Alright!" He tickled his daughter, vigorously, and made her laugh, before kissing her forehead. "I love you, honey."

"Wuv you, daddy."

Just then, Rachel and Jillian, who was clad in her costume, came down the stairs. "Payton, are you ready to change into your costume?" Rachel asked, walking over to the couch. Receiving a slight nod in response, she took her little girl off of her husband. "Ok, come on, sweetie." And carried her back up the steps.

"Wow, Jilly bean. Look at you." Finn said, checking out her costume.

"Do I look good?" Jill sat down, sporting a long, sparkly pink dress, and a black cape with a collar that framed her head. Her hair was up in a tight bun, long, curly strands hanging loosely around her make-up covered face.

"You look great!"

She struck a pose, smiling, and showing off her fangs.

"Oh, those things look sharp. Make sure that if you get thirsty, you go for your mother, ok?"

"Ok." She laughed.

Only a few short minutes later, Payton came toddling back down in her pumpkin costume, which was paired with green stockings and tiny brown Velcro shoes that matched the stem hat sitting in between her pigtails.

"And check this cutie out!" Finn cooed, taking her into his arms. "Where were you when we carved your little friends the other night?"

She shrugged.

"Oh, would my mom love to see you two right now! I have to get a picture and send it to her." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, but then realized that something was missing. "Wait, we need your brother. Where is he?"

"Here!" Rachel brought him in and set him down on the carpet next to his sisters, fixing his feathers real quick before stepping back. "Oh, Finn, isn't he just the most adorable Owl you've ever seen?"

"Yeah." He chuckled. "You're totally rockin that suit, bud."

"Hoot. Hoot." Christopher squealed.

They both laughed as Finn snapped the picture.

"Ok, mommy." Payton ran over to Rachel, taking her hand and pulling her towards the door. "Let's go now."

"Well, wait a minute, Pay. At least give us a second to get our coats on." Rachel said, slipping her arms into her jacket.

"No!" She whined. "I want candies."

"You'll get them soon enough, sweetheart." Finn stated, putting on his own hoodie, before picking up his son and grabbing the house keys off the table. "Alright. We're ready."

"Then let's go get our Trick-or-Treat on!" Rachel said.

The girls cheered, ecstatically, quickly skipping out into the yard. Rachel and Finn followed swiftly behind, as they made their way down the street, deciding to only go around the neighborhood for candy.

"Trick or treat!" Jillian shouted, as an older couple answered their door. "Give me something good to eat! Please?"

The man chuckled. "Well, hi there." Throwing a handful of his candy into each kid's bag. "Here you go."

"What do you guys say?" Finn questioned.

Payton moved behind her father's legs, hiding and clutching onto the back of his jeans, while Christopher looked away, taking sudden interest in their dad's nose.

"Thank you." Jill, finally, said, sweetly, before turning and running back over to her mother, who was waiting in the driveway. "Mommy, look how much I got so far!"

"Oh, yeah." Rachel nodded, looking into the 5 year olds bag full of candy. "Just don't eat it all at once, ok?" She chuckled, taking her husband's hand and swinging it in between them as they walked to the next house.

"Ok." She giggled. "Oh, hey, mommy? I almost forgot! I have a joke for you. I learned it in kindergarten on Tuesday."

"Well, let's hear it."

"What was the witch's favorite subject in school?"

"Hmmm… I don't know." She said, shrugging. "What?"

"Spelling!"

"Oh!" Rachel laughed. "That was a good one."

"I know!" She squealed. "I got you!"

"Yeah, but it was pretty tough."

"I do have an easier one. But it's for daddy."

Finn nodded. "Alright, shoot."

"What do ghost serve for dessert?" Jill asked.

"Uh… How about booberry pie?" He answered.

"That's funny!" She giggled. "But no. They serve ice scream!"

"Ohhh, I get it!"

"You guys aren't very good at this." She stated, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Oh, yeah?" Rachel questioned. "Well, if you're so good, why don't skeletons go to parties?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Because they have no _body _to dance with." Finn said. "Ha-ha. Look who isn't very good at this now?"

Jillian pouted, folding her arms over her chest. "Let's just get back to trick-or-treating."

They both laughed.

The rest of the night went fairly smooth from then on. Well, minus the little tantrum Payton decided to throw in the middle of the street. But she was just so overly tired, playing outside in the autumn leaves all day and not having a nap. It was to be expected from a 2 year old. Other than that though, everything was great, they all had a blast. The kids got loads of sugary sweets and goodies. Plus, they even made a few bucks, which was very exciting. But unfortunately, the fun did have to come to an end eventually. And they had to go home.

"Goodnight, Jilly bean. Love you." Rachel said, shutting Jillian's bedroom light off, before closing her door and joining her husband in the hallway. "I…"

"Shhh." Finn put a finger to his lips, silencing her. "Do you hear that?"

She stared up at him, confused. "No."

"Exactly." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "The children are all asleep. And it's still pretty early, giving us the night to ourselves."

She giggled.

"You know what that means, right?" He asked between kisses.

"Yes." She nodded, smiling. "We get first dibs on their candy!"

"Last one down has to eat the Butter Fingers."

"You're on." She said, before they both darted for the stairs.


	18. A TRIP TO THE ZOO

HUGE SHOUTOUT TO GLEEGIRL9534! SHE'S AWESOME! SHE HELPED ME OUT _SO_ MUCH WITH IDEAS FOR THIS CHAPTER AND I CANT THANK HER ENOUGH :)

"Daddy?" Jillian Hudson lay flat on her stomach on the living room carpet, her legs swinging behind her, as she flipped through the TV channels and tried to find something to watch. But nothing good was currently on. "Stupid." She grumbled, switching Sesame Street off and groaning when a cooking show appeared on the screen. "Boring."

"What's up, sweetheart?" Finn sat on the floor as well, leaning against the coffee table while he played a game of Candy Land with his other daughter. So far, Payton was in the lead, beating him when he was actually trying to win. But he didn't mind, he loved seeing how thrilled the 2 and a half year old got. Her face lighting up with joy every move she made on the board. "Oh, you're going down, Pay." He said, sliding his piece foreword. "I'm catching up!"

"When are we gonna go to the zoo?" The anxious 5 year old asked, growing more and more impatient by the second.

"Hang tight, Jilly bean." Keeping focus, he took his next turn. "Mommy should be down any minute."

Jill grunted angrily. "But there is nothing to do!" She whined.

"Now, I find that hard to believe." He replied. "Especially, in this house."

"Can't we just meet mommy there?"

"No. Relax, honey. We'll leave soon enough, ok?" He watched Payton as she made the final move, becoming the champion and cheering for herself while he gasped in shock. "I lost!"

"Go Payton! Go Payton!" Payton danced in her spot, smiling widely, until she was caught up in her father's embrace and nearly tickled to death.

"You have defeated me against my will." Finn yelled, smothering her with kisses. "Now, you must pay the price!"

"But daddy, I'm too excited to wait!" Jillian went on.

Just then, Rachel descended the stairs, ready to go, cooing at the miserable, crying little boy in her arms. Walking over to her husband, she handed their son over, before slipping into her own jacket.

"Finally!" Jill stood up, shutting off the TV and running to the front door, where her small purple UGG boots rested. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Jilly. Your brother just did not want to cooperate today." Rachel explained. "But we're all ready now."

Nodding, she pulled her sweatshirt over her braided hair. "Great, let's go!"

By the time they got out of the house, into the car, onto the road and made the hour drive to their destination, it was already 1 o'clock. And the zoo closed at 6 on the dot, so they had a lot of ground to cover and animals to see.

"Where shall we even begin?" Finn stopped in his tracks and unfolded the park's complimentary map.

"Oh, can we go see the Giraffes?" Jillian asked. "They're my favorite!"

"Sure we can!" Rachel answered, swaying on her heels with Christopher in her arms as she removed her sunglasses and looked on with Finn. "But it seems like we will be passing the Monkey's on the way. So, why don't we check them out first?" She questioned. "Sound good?"

"Yeah, come on!"

Making their way to the Apes, Jill skipped a few feet ahead while Payton stayed back and held hands with both of her parents, laughing hysterically when they lifted her in the air and let her swing between them.

"Aww, Finny." Rachel started, once they got there. "You're finally being reunited with your kind." She joked, standing her son on his feet so that he could get a better view of Ape, who was pressed against the window munching on a head of lettuce.

"You're so funny, Rach!" He said sarcastically, before kneeling down next to his girls. "Wow, he's pretty cool, isn't he?"

Jillian nodded. "Very."

"Chris thinks so too." Rachel laughed, holding on to the wobbly baby as he continued to bang on the glass. Which was something the hungry animal did not like. Seeing as, he was trying to eat his lunch. So, he stood up, stretching out, causing Payton to jump back in fear when she saw how big he actually was, and then he crawled away.

"He big!" Payton yelled.

Both adults laughed and nodded in agreement, before they picked up and decided to move on to the cage with the smaller monkeys. Staring at them swing and climb on trees for awhile, then answering Jill's request.

"Oh my gosh! They are so awesome!" Jillian pushed through the crowd of people, getting as close to the Giraffes as she could. "And long."

"Well, would you look at that? There is actually something taller than me." Finn chuckled. "I guess I'm not the first one to know when it rains after all."

Rachel couldn't help but roll her eyes and giggle.

"Mommy? We should get a pet Giraffe."

"Yeah, um… That would be a negative, sweetie."

"I have to agree with your mother on this one, Jill." He stated, shaking his head. "No way."

"Why not? They're so nice."

"And they would eat everything." He added. "So, moving on…"

After spending what felt like an eternity looking at all different types of bird species, the point in time when Christopher felt it was right to take his late afternoon nap, the family decided to look at a few more animals before entering the children's petting zoo. A place where they could actually interact with them.

"Cow!" Christopher bounced in his dad's arms excitedly as Finn showed him the brown animal, chewing on a barrel of hay in front of them.

"Yeah, Chrissy, it's a cow." Rachel cooed. "And what sound does it make?"

"Moo." Jillian answered. Then Christopher repeated.

"Moo!"

"Good job, buddy." Finn praised him, ruffling his hair. "Give me a high five." He held his hand out, smiling when the energetic 11 month old smacked it. "Alright! That's how it's done."

"Mommy, wets go see the goat!" Payton cut in; pulling on Rachel's arm once she spotted the animal off in the distance.

"Ok, ok. I'm comin." Rachel, being drug by her youngest daughter, ended up across the way, crouching down and helping her feed the baby. "Aww, Pay. Isn't she the cutest?"

The 2 and a half year old nodded, laughing as the goat pulled the food out from in between her fingers. "I want one."

"That's not gonna happen either." Finn growled, trying to shake off the older goat that was gnawing at his pant leg.

"Yeah, I don't think one of these guys would enjoy living at our house very much." Rachel chuckled. "Jilly bean, are you sure you don't want to try feeding her? It's your last chance."

"It's gonna bite me."

"Oh, sweetie, you won't get bit. She's gentle." She informed the frightened 5 year old, patting the small animals head. "See? You'll be fine." Dropping a few pieces of food into her hand, she pushed her daughter foreword. But Jillian immediately took a step back, falling into her father's legs as the goat moved toward her. Closing her eyes, she prepared herself for the pain. But there wasn't any. It only tickled instead.

"I'm doing it! I'm actually feeding a goat!"

"Wasn't so bad after all, was it?" She questioned, receiving a quiet "no" in response. "Told you so."

Jill giggled, feeling silly.

"Hey, Rach? Looks to me like someone over here is getting a bit hungry himself." Finn, struggling to keep a squirming Chris in his arms, said. "So, what do you say we go find something for us to chow down on?"

"Ok." Rachel nodded, standing up. "Yeah. I could go for something yummy."

"Oh, can we get cotton candy? The blue kind?"

"We'll see, Jilly." She replied, taking hold of her other little girl's hand. "Come on, Pay."

"No." Pulling her hand out of her mom's grasp, Payton ran off with her new pal in the opposite direction. She wasn't going anywhere.

Rachel quickly sprinted after her, capturing and picking her up before she could get too far. "And where do you think you're going, huh?"

"My goat." She whimpered.

"It's time to say bye-bye to the goat, honey. We're going to go get something to eat now." She cooed. "Aren't you hungry?"

Payton started to cry, reaching out to the animal over Rachel's shoulder as she walked away with her. "My goat."

Finn chuckled sadly, his heart breaking as he watched his daughter's tears fall. "She made a friend."

"We'll come back and visit her soon, baby." Rachel said, wiping her eyes dry. "Maybe in a couple of months when it gets warmer and we have more time, we'll pick a day when mommy and daddy have off work and we'll drive back down to see her."

Payton continued to cry as she watched other strangers now feeding her goat.

Finn, noticing how much it bothered her and was making her more upset, suggested they leave the area in hopes of her calming down some. Rachel agreed. So, placing a gentle hand on her lower back, they made a quick stop at the bathroom before making their way to the nearest food stand, where she found an empty table to reside at while he ordered their meal.

"So, are you having a good time, Jilly bean?"

"Yeah! I like the zoo." Jill replied. "It's really stinky though."

Rachel chuckled, scooting over just a tad on the bench so that Finn could sit down next to her. "And what was your favorite part so far?"

"When we went to see the cats, because they're so fast and scary, but really pretty."

"I liked them too."

"And what about you, Pay?" Finn asked, opening his burger. "What was your favorite part?"

Payton sat motionless on her mom's lap, showing no signs of answering. Still sniffling as Rachel kissed her forehead.

He sighed.

"Well, I think Chris's favorite part was when that llama spit on mommy." The 5 year old giggled.

Rachel frowned. "Disgusting."

"Yeah. That was hilarious!" He laughed, helping Christopher with his hot dog. "My favorite part too."

"Finn. It was _not _funny." She growled. "I have never been so grossed out. Plus, it was really embarrassing."

"Babe, all those people weren't laughing _at _you. They were laughing _with _you."

"Liar." She muttered, shoving a fork full of salad into her mouth.

"Ya know, we should go see the Elephants and Zebras next." Jillian stated, studying the map as she picked at her French fries, even though she couldn't read most of the words on it. "They're cool. And it would cheer Payton up for sure!"

"That is a great thought. She would love that." Finn said. "Right, Pay?" He tried again.

"My Goat" was all she responded with.

It was Rachel's turn to sigh. "I don't know what to do. I feel so bad, she's so sad." She pleaded. "I mean, how are we supposed to get our toddler through _Goat_ withdrawal?"

"I have no clue. Hopefully, this is just a temporary thing and she will forget all about it tomorrow."

"Hey, daddy?" Jill questioned. "Can you go get me my cotton candy now?"

"Sure, honey." He nodded, standing up. "Rach, do you want anything while I'm gone?"

"Split a popcorn with me?" She asked.

"Ok." Finn left the 4 of them behind in search for a place to buy the popular treats, not expecting to get sidetracked on his way when he passed the Zoo's gift shop. A brilliant idea had just hit him. So, making a quick stop into the store, he found and purchased the item he was looking for, before paying for the sugar on a stick and popped corn, and returning to his wife and kids.

"Daddy, I wanted the blue kind."

"Sorry, Jilly. I thought that you would prefer the purple since it's your new favorite color." Finn explained.

"Um… No."

"Jillian Caroline, just say thank you." Rachel told her sternly. "And be grateful that he got you any at all because he didn't have to."

"Thank you, daddy." Jill said.

"You're welcome." He chuckled, handing Rachel her popcorn.

"What's in the other bag?" She asked curiously.

"Our problem solver." Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a stuffed goat and handed it to his daughter, praying his theory would work. "So you guys will always be together."

Payton's eyes lit up, her mood suddenly changing as she hugged and gripped on to the animal so very tightly.

Rachel smiled. "Smart."

"And of course I couldn't leave out my other 2 pride and joys. So for you, Jill…" He placed a stuffed Tiger in her hands, making her gasp in excitement.

"Thank you, daddy!" She repeated.

"And for Chris… A llama."

"Really?" Rachel shot her husband a nasty glare.

"It's a memory!" He argued.

"You are a jerk." Gathering her things, she set a now perky Payton back on her feet, before picking up her son, who was clinging happily onto his new toy. "Alright, are we ready to start moving again?"

Finn laughed, thinking she was so cute when she got aggravated.

It was around 3:30 when the Hudson's reached the Koala cage, Rachel's favorite, and also what was on the way to the Zebras section, where they went after.

"These guys are boring." Jillian complained, staring at the lazy black and white striped lumps. "All of them are sleeping."

"Well, they're probably really tired. It's been a long day, with everyone watching them for hours on no end and all."

"Wake them up, daddy."

He gave her a questioning look. "And how would you like me to do that?"

"I don't know. Go poke um."

"Oh, sure. I'll get right on that, crazy." He joked. "Because I'm totally not afraid to climb in there and disturb a wild animal that could and would most likely beat the crap out of me."

"Finn…"

"I'm serious, Rach. He could drop kick me."

Rachel giggled, intertwining their fingers and dragging him away.

They approached the Elephants only seconds later, catching them during bath time, which kept Payton amused the entire time they stayed there, being able to see them shower in the water from their nose. Meanwhile, Finn tried to impress Rachel with his knowledge on the animal by blurting out some random facts. But she soon realized where he was pulling them from, the animal description hanging on the tree right behind her. So, he just appeared as a fool instead. And then Christopher, growing scared, threw a fit at the sound of all the Elephant's loud noises, resulting in them having to find other, quieter, animals to look at.

"Is it time to go yet?" Finn whined, the pain increasing in his feet with every step he took.

"No, I don't want to leave!"

"It's getting late, Jill." Rachel informed her. "And daddy still has to drive home."

"But we haven't seen everything."

"We saw most of it, sweetheart." He yawned.

"How about we choose one more animal to go and see, and then we'll head back to the car?"

"Fine."

"Wait, mommy!" Payton shouted, grabbing their attention. "I want a balloon." She pointed to a small balloon cart set up a couple yards away, showing them. "The Fwoggy."

"Hmmm… You'll have to ask daddy. He' the one with the money."

"Pwease, daddy?" She gave him the puppy dog eyes, something she was a natural at and something she knew he was a sucker for.

"Yeah, please, daddy?" Jillian begged.

"What, you want one now too?"

She nodded. "The Hippo."

"I'm gonna go broke." Finn stated, slipping his wallet out of his back pocket before going up to the seller and buying their balloons.

"Have we decided what our last stop of the day will be?" Rachel asked, tying the dangling string around their wrists so that they wouldn't blow away.

"Polar bears!"

"Ok then." She switched her little boy's weight over to the left hip, starting to speed walk foreword, because she wanted nothing more than to just get home already and relax.

"_Did you know_ that Polar Bears really have black skin but appear white because of their transparent fur?" He questioned, tossing a piece of their leftover popcorn into the air and catching it in his mouth.

Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Hey, how did you do that?" Jill, being curious, took a piece of her own out of the box and tried for herself, but failed. "I can't."

"Don't worry. Neither can I, honey."

"Well, that's because… How can I say this without being too mean?" He asked himself, smiling. "You guys just don't have swag like I do."

"Oh, right_. You_ have swagger." Rachel laughed. "You're so full of yourself, Finn Hudson."

"Haha, I know."

After spending a fair share of time with the Polar Bears, watching them play with their beach ball in their water, the group finally got themselves to their car and back on the road. Jillian had put on a movie for herself, the screen being the only light in the darkness of the night, and Christopher was out within minutes. Payton had been pretty exhausted as well, falling asleep shortly after her brother, _still _clutching her Goat.

"I just don't understand." Finn started, looking back at his 2 and a half year old through the mirror. "Out of all the animals in that zoo, she fell in love with a Goat. Why a _Goat_?"

"So? Out of all the other people in this world, you fell in love with me." Rachel said. "Why me?"

"Because you are the most beautiful and amazing person I have ever met. You have changed me for the better and honestly, I don't know what I would do without you."

She leaned her head back against the seat, staring up at him lovingly. "You mean that?"

"I do." He took her hand in his, kissing it. "I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too."


End file.
